


Time Changes

by MAngel05



Series: Future Meets the Past Series [1]
Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama and Violence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2018-12-20 21:32:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 40,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11929695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MAngel05/pseuds/MAngel05
Summary: Everybody knows the story of the red dragon and his founding of Kouka, but most believe it to be a myth. What if somebody changes the past, how much of the future would change? Like a pebble thrown into a lake, the ripple effect would inevitably change things; but how much can happen before change is considered bad?





	1. How It All Began

**Chapter 1** : _How It All Began_

* * *

 

A small planet in the middle of the cosmos glittered with the beauty of an aquamarine emerald in the middle of a system that looked dead to any who passed through it. The Kami had created this world and found it the jewel amongst all the other world's it had created.

The red dragon looked down upon the earth at the creatures that lived upon it. Humans they called themselves. He watched their every move, emotion and found them wonderous in how they lived their lives. The other dragons found nothing unique about these creatures, they saw their violence, hate towards one another and how they were destroying their world. The red dragon wanted to help these being improve themselves. _Perhaps I can help them._  He had thought, it was an innocent enough thought, but it would lead to others like it. He talked his brothers into helping him help the humans.

Temples and shrines were built to the five dragons. The yellow dragon helped keep the peace to those who prayed to him and could hear his words of wisdom. The blue dragon helped the people by seeing into the troubled lands and told those who wished for peace where to avoid conflict. The green dragon gave knowledge on how to defend one's self from an enemy through martial arts, while his twin, the white dragon gave knowledge on how to defend with none violent ways. As this happened the red dragon helped the humans by giving them knowledge on when to plant, when to harvest and how one should conduct themselves. Monks and priests who heard them, gave the information to the people.

However soon the people began to forget their Kami, even forgetting the dragons and what they had done for them. The temples and shrines aged and soon fell apart, except for the single temple in a small enriched fertile area where warrior monks and priests lived in peace. The statues of the red dragon and his four brothers were well polished, murals of stained glass were in the windows, shining brightly. Books with the words of the dragons were well cared for. Only this placed to still listen to the Kami and the dragons, but it wasn't enough.

The dragon brothers began to despise the humans. They had been used for their knowledge and then thrown away like they were nothing. The red dragon did not see this though. He saw the single temple that was still cared for and its followers who still went to the temple to worship and gain knowledge.

Then one day a young boy came to the temple crying because his father had been killed by a bandit, his mother was pregnant and growing weaker by the day. His villages fields were dying and everybody feared that the harvest would not produce enough to feel the entire village. He told the red dragon of the murderers, the men from the north who had invaded their lands and the barbarians that went through and pillaged the villages. "We need help!" he cried.

The red dragon felt tears fill his eyes even as his brothers turned away from the human boy's cries. _What could they do?_ they asked, _humans created these problems, let the humans figure them out._ Was their answer; but not his. Deciding that these people truly needed help, the red dragon said good-bye to his brothers and left the beauty of what was their home and dropped from the heavens to help the humans.

He appeared in the temple from the stone mural. The boy who had been praying and a monk who had been listening saw him appear from the mural, his hair soaked and his body nude from his decent. He was no longer the dragon he had once been; instead he had taken human form. Lifting his violet eyes to the boy, he smiled at him. Tears formed in the boy's eyes. "I came to help." he said. "Your words moved me and I could not ignore them. What is your name child?"

The boy's eyes shook with emotion. "Abi. I am Abi." the boy bowed to the floor and pledge himself to the red dragon that day.

The red dragon having took human form appeared to look like a young sixteen year old boy. His body was weak for the first couple of days, but he grew stronger very quickly. The monks taught him how to fight, how to use his body against his enemy and how to use human weapons against those who wanted to kill him.

In a matter of weeks the masses began to learn that the red dragon had fallen to earth in order to save them from each other. Some took this news as a good thing and began to search for him in order to help him do what he had come to do; however there were those who saw this as a threat to their way of life and those began to build up their armies for the day when he'd come for them.

It took the red dragon four years of training in order to make himself into the leader that the people deserved. His first fight was against the southern barbarians that raped and pillaged people just because they could and not for any other reason than that. As he left the temple and traveled through the villages, he found more and more to join his cause. That first battle was the bloodiest battle he would ever have. Half his forces were killed off, but the barbarian king had lost his life, along with the lives of his entire army and his three sons. The ground had pools of blood in it that were connected together by rivers of blood. Body parts littered the ground, the stench of death was there as the piles of bodies were burned, the sky turned dark. That night the red dragon, Hiryuu as he was called, cried.

News of the red dragon's battle reached far and wide. Those in the north demanded his head, while the tribes in the west began to watch their dragon king with interest.

It wouldn't be until Hiryuu's third battle when he would gain a new ally, a tribe who called themselves the earth tribe with a man named Guen as its leader. Guen's blue eyes were filled with determination, as the man himself was fierce and instantly saw Hiryuu for who he was. "You're my King and I will defend you." he had said causing the crimson haired red dragon to smile at him.

Then the troublesome day came where his enemies came for him. He fought for his men's lives and for the lives of the people who needed him, but it wasn't enough. His enemies had defeated him and As he was drug through the muck up to the gallows he couldn't help but fear for those around him.

Suddenly the sky burst open as the four dragons, who had been watching, came to Hiryuu's rescue. Men screamed in fear. "We have come for you brother." they said as they watched the humans cower from their presence. "Let us return so we may destroy them."

"No, for I cannot return." he said looking up at his brothers. "I am human now. Though they may hate and betray me, I cannot help but love them still."

The four looked upon one another, the love for their brother could be seen within their eyes. Yona found herself gasping from within Hiryuu, as she not only saw the love these dragons had for this man but could feel in within her chest. The golden dragon shimmered brightly as he lifted himself above the rest, his body filling the sky. "We do not wish to lose you. So in order to protect you, we shall find those who hold our idea's and beliefs. Those whom will protect you with our power and will never betray you." The three other's looked upon each other and nodded at their golden brother's idea. This way they'd be able to protect their brother without having to leave the heavens. Within seconds a flash of light surrounded the area as the four dragons went to find these men.

The boy who first swore himself to Hiryuu years ago became the first Seiryuu, with eyes that could see everything and make men's heart still in a second. Guen, the earth tribe leader became the first Hakuryuu and as the eldest, the self proclaimed big brother. His right arm held the strength of Hakuryuu within it. Next was the new Wind tribe leader, Shuten, who became the the first Ryokuyuu. His right leg held the power Ryokuyuu which gave him the ability that made him look like he could fly through the air. The last was the youngest, a boy named Zeno who could hear the Kami and willingly became the Ouryuu whose body was like steel and would never fail. These four men drank the blood of the four dragons and became the red dragon's guardians.

The creation of the four dragon warriors did not stop their King 's enemies from coming, but it did slow them down. Hiryuu was able to create the boarders to his country of Kouka. The tribes became united under their leaders, the water and wind tribes to the south, while the earth and newly created fire tribes were to the north with the sky tribe in the center of the country along with the capital that was built upon the temple in which Hiryuu had first appeared in. When his men and he were not at war with the neighboring countries, Hiryuu was ruling Kouka, raising his son Yak-shi or helping in keeping the tribes from starting up wars within Kouka. Overall, peace slowly came to the realm and as King Hiryuu's eyes closed upon his country on the last day of his life, he knew he was leaving the world better than he had found it in the beginning.

* * *

 

A young girl with green eyes named Ora looked up from her paper of the founding of the country and looked at her fellow students who were looking at her with awe. A red flush covered her cheeks lightly as she handed her paper in to her teacher, who was looking at her with some pride in her eyes. "Very good Miss Tomoe." the teacher cleared her throat. "However, the assignment wasn't to write the story of the foundation according to myth but to write what is written in your history book."

"Humph." Ora pushed up her glasses from her nose. "I did." she said matter-of-factly. "I read my grandfather's history book and read the history book given by this school and compared notes from both before I came up with that." she said. "If you want proof, I have the other book here as well."

Her teacher's brown eyes narrowed towards her."Tch. What yourself Miss Tomoe." she pointed to the girl's seat to get her to go back to it.

Ora frowned at the woman, her black hair swung with her body's movement as she returned to her seat angrily. _I hate this school. I'm surrounded by idiots._ She sat down in her seat and was forced to listen to the new story of how Kouka came into being. _Over five thousand years ago was the time of Hiryuu's reign._  she thought. _Grandfather is trying to prove that without the red dragons influence that this world would be a different place._ she smirked. _Hell, I didn't even get to talk about Princess Yona and her being Hiryuu's reincarnation. I mean, I know people don't believe in that shit anymore, but if you think about it; if Princess Yona hadn't existed then this country probably would have stopped existing a long time ago._  She rolled her eyes as the next student went up and reiterated what the others had said only with different words. _Perhaps one day I'll help Grandfather prove it._ she smiled devilishly, never realizing at what kind of trouble she was about to create for both man and the Kami.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Okay, originally I wasn't going to post this story until my Miscellaneous Yona Stories series was complete, but I am having problems with my writing app lately. It likes to delete stuff even after I've saved it, so this was posted as a safety precaution. I didn't want to loose an hour's worth of writing. With that said, I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! ^_^


	2. Displacing Time

**Chapter 2** : _Displacing Time_

* * *

 

 **Theory** : _If one changes something in the past, no mater how small, can have huge implications towards the future. If one changes something major in the past, the future becomes something new and unknown._

Dr. Ora Tomoe looked at the screen of her computer and smirked as she saved her most recent entry. Years ago she had set out to prove that the dragon warriors of old and King Hiryuu were real and not purely a myth or children's tale. She had found her evidence, very little, but still some in the old red dragon palace; but still had been laughed at for her supposed findings by those of the scientific community. Setting that aside, she had decided to take on her father's research on time disruptions and the theory of time traveling. It wasn't as impossible as most thought it was. There was a delicate balance that was needed to be kept.

Walking through the underground labs of her family's corporation, she smiled as she passed fellow scientists. At twenty-five, she was one of the youngest scientists here. The building housed the scientists from around the world, while giving them a place to do their research without boundaries. As the automatic doors slid open to one of the larger labs, she found her grey-blue eyes lighting up with excitement as she look at the device that dominated the room. It was the time dialation device or as most had come to call it; the TDD. They had done nearly a thousand tests with it. Now with the bugs had been fixed and insurance claims had been handed out along with privacy disclosures to the families of those injured in the early testing stage; it was ready to be used.

She approached her partner and father, Dr. Kye-hon Tomoe, who was currently at the controls of the device behind the protective nine inch glass. "What are you testing today, father?" she questioned him.

The grey haired man smiled, causing his wrinkles to crinkle at the sides of his eyes at the pride he held for her and her discovery. "We sent another device into the past today. I've sent people to its location and now we are waiting for confirmation that it is indeed there." he replied with pride showing in his voice.

"How far back did you go?" she inquired as she began to look at the instruments and dials on the computer screens. She quirked an eyebrow as she read the date on the screen. "A thousand years ago?" she asked in surprise.

Her father chuckled. "We are going to prove your theory on Hiryuu existing one day soon," he said. "but it'll take baby steps in order to do so."

Ora smiled at her father's words. "I had almost forgotten about him." she said sadly.

"We may even be able to prove your theory that without Princess Yona's influence that our world that we know may not exist." he said with a crazed smile spreading across his face.

"How?" she inquired, curiosity getting the better of her.

"By making sure she doesn't technically exist." he simply answered.

Ora's eyes widened at the implications. "Father!" she hissed. "You're talking about killing an innocent child!"

He shook his head. "Not quite." he stated. "All we have to do is displace her somewhere and see where that leads us." he stated. "If the results are not as expected we just return her to the point in which she was taken from." Just then one of the computers began to beep.

"Dr. Tomoe, we found the device." a voice came from the computers speakers. "The dirt samples came back at around one thousand years prior to our own time." the man on the other end sounded excited. "The TDD worked sir!" Cheers could be heard in the background of where the person, who was talking, was.

"Now we begin the living tests." he muttered quietly. "First we have to make sure the hand held TDD's work as well, otherwise this next phase of tests will be for nothing."

Ora sighed. "I suppose I'll head over to talk to Dr. Wong and see if he's discovered a way to make sure those devices are up and working." she said sounding slightly bored, even though she was excited that the TDD was up in working order.

* * *

 

Steam rose up around Ora's body as she soaked in the warm water of her deep bath. The water came up to her shoulders as she leaned back with her obsidian black colored hair pulled into a bun on the top of her head. It had been a month since the test that had led to them digging for a device that had appeared in the location a thousand years ago.

The device had taken pictures for one hundred and fifty-five years of whenever something or somebody had passed the area. Most of the images had been of animals or bugs, though there had been some humans; however it was then that Ora began to notice something odd. A blond haired male had appeared on film. Each time he had appeared, twelve times in all, he never seemed to age. She had run his face through a facial recognition program and had come up with a name, Zeno Uuyruo. She couldn't even pronounce his last name, but backwards it spelled Ouryuu and that couldn't have been a coincidence. How could a man from a thousand years ago be alive in her time unless somehow, he was the legendary Ouryuu; the dragon warrior who couldn't age, nor be injured.

So far she had kept this a secret from her father, after all, what would they do with this information? Knowing her father, he would want to search for this Zeno and capture him, where he would then begin experimentation on him. For some reason that just didn't sit well with her. She had taken the photos and their copies, placed them in her personal vault and then simply hoped nobody would find them.

Taking a deep breath she put her mouth and nose under water and breathed outward, causing bubbles to form. Sighing afterwards, she slowly began to dry herself off. She had just pulled the plug when her cell phone began to ring. Picking the blue-tooth device up her ear, she answered her phone. "Dr. Tomoe answering." she said.

"Dr. Tomoe, it's Dr. Wong." the voice on the other end said. "I was just finishing up the latest de-bugging of the TDD hand helds when I noticed that one of the devices was missing."

"What do you mean missing?" she inquired as a frown appeared on her face. Stepping out of her bathroom , she went to her bathroom and began to dress in order to return to the lab.

"I mean I've looked everywhere in the locker and the sixth device is not there." the thirty something year old man sounded panicked.

"Have you looked to see who was in you lab last?" she inquired as she pulled over a beige oversized sweater before she pulled on her black jeans, socks and heels.

"Yes." he answered her. "Your father was the last one in the laboratory." he paused before continuing. "You don't think he's going to-"

"-conduct human testing without my approval?" she finished for him. "Yes. My father would do just that. Charge one of the other devices for me, just in case I need it."

"Ma'am?" he asked questioningly.

"My father wouldn't trust anybody but himself to do this." she stated as she got into the elevator. "I'll be there in ten minutes." she ended the call as she pressed the number for the third basement. She'd have to get onto the second elevator to get to the laboratory. When the doors opened she noticed that the entire level was empty. That was never a good sign.

Taking a deep breath she exited the elevator. Walking quickly across the empty basement space, the only noise being her heels clicking the cement. As she passed one of the pillars she saw out of the corner of her eye one of the security officers. He pulled his taser and was about to shoot her with it when she kicked off her heel and hit him with deadly accuracy, knocking him out. Walking over to him she grabbed the taser and her heel. As the second elevator closed with her in it, she knew that her father was up to something now.

When the elevator doors opened to the main floor she found it to be empty, just like the basement. Holding the taser to her side, she began to make her way to Dr. Wong's office. She found the olive skinned man waiting for her in one of the side rooms of his laboratory.

"We don't have much time." he stated as he handed her the fully charged device. "The device is just like cell phone. You dial the date and time and then press the green button to launch yourself to that year. Yours is fully charges, meaning you have a full seventy-two hour spans to go to any era and return. Your father's wasn't updated with the latest debugging update. His only has a twenty-four hour charge; if that." The lights suddenly dimmed before returning to the regular output. "He just activated the TDD, you have to go."

"Right." she said softly as she placed the device in her pocket.

"The device also allows me to keep track where and when you are, so please keep it on!" he yelled out the door as she took off.

Ora arrived in time to see her father enter the brilliant blue orb that the TDD created as it sent him hurtling through time and the spaces between time before he'd arrive where he wanted to be. Rushing over to the controls before they'd shut down she found that the era he'd sent himself was exactly one year after Princess Yona had been born, three years before her mother, Queen Vashtif's death. A moment later the device shut down.

 _Shit._ She cursed herself for being too slow in acting, she quickly began to get the TDD back online. The reactor came online slowly, with the device itself giving off a very small glow. It would tack ten minutes for her to get the device back online; which meant her father could accomplish his goal by the time she arrived. She just prayed that all her theories on time and how quickly it could pass between one era verses another were wrong; but she doubted it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So, I decided to update this story since I'm almost done with my Miscellaneous Yona Stories series. This chapter was mostly to get everyone up to date on how things are going to happen and why. Yes, Ora's dad is my bad guy for the first few chapters, but as you will soon find out; there will be other bad guys that are far, far worse than him.
> 
> So, I hope everybody enjoyed this chapter. I will try to keep this story updated. ^_^


	3. Heart Stopping Moment

**Chapter 3** : _Heart Stopping Moment_

* * *

 

Ora appeared in a flash of light as lightning cracked around the hole that had been created by the TDD. Behind her was a hole of darkness that no light seemed to penetrate. She sighed as she came out of the hole full intacted and no bod parts seemed to be missing or arranged differently. Looking down at the device in her hand she saw a timer had suddenly begun to tick down. Lifting her eyes up she saw that she was inside the ancient red dragon castle. Making her way through the corridors, she paused suddenly as she realized that if she was caught she would definitely stand out in the clothes she wore.

Turning into a hidden passageway that she recalled from her time at the archaeological dig site that had given her the proof that Hiryuu had existed. She found a young servant sleeping in one of the servant rooms. Creeping silently into the room, she searched for some clothes and was pleasantly surprised to find something that would serve her purpose. Dressing in another room, she quickly stuffed her clothes away and began searching for her father's whereabouts, she found that she couldn't find him in the area that she had appeared in.

By morning, Ora discovered that the Princess Yona had not been abducted. She saw the Lady Vashtif come out of her private chambers with a tiny red haired child hanging on her left hip. The woman wore a green and white kimono dress, spore her sand colored hair up in a bun that was being held by two decorative jade combs that had tiny emeralds and diamonds embedded into the jade. The child herself wore a pink kimono with a white underdress with her red hair coming to her chin in tin ringlets. She clung to her mother as if her life depended upon her. A short dark haired man followed the two wearing royal clothes and the crown of a prince.

 _That must be Prince Il._ She thought as she bowed as the family passed by like the other servants were doing. The Princess Yona gave a light coo/cry as they passed Ora. Her hands were outstretched towards her. "Uh.." she heard the Lady begin. "What is your name dear?"

Ora looked up at her, their eyes meeting. Grey-blue looked into the gentle green eyes of the woman before her. Not wanting to use her first name, she decided to use her middle. "Kiana." she said with respect in her voice.

"It seems our little princess wants you to hold her." she stated. "Will you take her for the day?"

 _Me?_ Ora questioned the sanity of the Lady. "Of course I will m'lady." she said with as much respect as she could muster. Vashtif gave a giggle as the words she used and hands Yona over to her. Once the soon-to-be Queen left with her husband, Ora took a moment to look at the beautiful princess who was now tugging at her long raven colored locks. Sighing, Ora decided that this was just luck. _Now that I have her, I can protect her from my father._ she thought as she made her way to one of the many gardens. _At least until the timer runs low and I must return._

Yona held onto her tightly without thought of anything other that that the lady smelled nice and that she wasn't bothering her to talk or had even placed her down to walk because truthfully she loved being carried.

Ora looked at the child in her arms. _I never even thought about having children of my own, but considering how quite this one is, I wouldn't mind it._ She chuckled as she sat Yona down on the green grass in front of the large bushes of flowers. The little girl crawled away on her hands and knees until she was sitting in front of several white lilies. She giggled as she pointed at the flowers. "Those are white oriental lilies." she told the little girl. "Sometimes they can be tipped with purple." she looked at the toddler. "It just depends on how much water they receive." she explained.

"Really?" came a voice behind her causing Ora to stand quickly and spin around. An older man with greying hair was looking at her. He stood heavily upon a staff, but the royal crown is what caught her attention. "Your majesty!" she gasped as she quickly bowed. A loud coo caught her attention ad Yona crawled over to the older man. King Joo-nam was well known in the history book as Kouka's toughest king. He and his eldest son Yu-hon had tough many wars together, though Yu-hon was known to be merciless. A chuckled caused her to look up at the King. "Rise." he said. "I was wondering who it was that had wondered into my gardens." he looked at his granddaughter who was pulling at his pants trying to get him to pick her up.

"Her highness seemed to want to come into these gardens." she said. It was a lie. Ora had known these were the King's gardens, but she hadn't known that they were private. That hadn't been discovered in her time.

The king gave a nod. "My late second wife designed these gardens as a safe haven." he looked at the toddler who had gotten bored at him not paying attention to her. "You may bring my granddaughter here whenever it fancies her."

Bowing her head as he left, Ora was thankful she hadn't goofed and made a mistake. Sighing she went after the tiny girl, picked her up and made her way to find the kitchen to get her something to eat.

* * *

 

By nightfall Ora was exhausted, but because she had not found her father nor had seen him all day long, she decided that she needed to stay up and watch the tiny Princess. After eating some dinner, Ora made her way back into the Princess' chambers when she came across somebody in her private room. Grabbing the nearest weapon, a broom no less, she swatted the head of the person she had caught in the dark room.

"Ah!" a cry came from the stranger. She quickly noticed that it was not the voice of Prince Il.

Lighting a small lantern she brought it up to find herself starring at the same blond haired man that she had seen in those photos. She had no doubt now. This was Ouryuu Zeno, the legendary yellow dragon. She had to stay calm and she had to act like she didn't know who he was. "Who are you?" she hissed as she tried to stay quiet and not wake up the Princess. "Why are you in Princess Yona's room?" she held up the stick end of the broom as a threat to hit him again.

Zeno hadn't been thinking he would be caught. He'd snuck into the princess' rooms since she'd been born. Once he had found Hiryuu's reincarnation he hadn't been able to stay away for very long. A month is the longest he could stay away. "Zeno. Zeno's name is Zeno." he stated in his third person speech. "Please..." his eyes gained a desperate look. "Zeno has been seeing the Miss since she was born. He just wanted to make sure she was safe." he said looking at the lantern.

Ora sighed softly. "There are other ways to make sure of such a thing." she mumbled. Zeno raised an eyebrow. "Look, you need to leave. I won't tell anybody, but you must leave." she blew out the lantern before grabbing his wrist and left. Once they were both out of the princess' chambers she released his wrist. "Go. Quickly."

Zeno stood there dumbfounded. "You won't yell for somebody?" he questioned remembering how several servants had done just that. "Why?"

Ora knew she had to lie again. "Let's just say that I have a suspicion of who you are and if I'm right, it wouldn't be good if you got caught just because you wanted to check on her." she pointed towards the servants chambers. "Take the servant's tunnels and leave."

Zeno began chuckling before slapping a hand over his eyes. "Zeno was certain everybody had forgotten by now." he said before lifting his hand a giving her the widest smile she'd ever seen on anybody. "Thank-you."

"Don't thank me." she said ruefully ad she escorted him to the servants chambers. "I think that if you are here than, perhaps my dreams are real." she said, trying to que him in on the danger Princes Yona was in. "I've been dreaming of weird things. A hole filled with lightning sucking a red dragon into in while a yellow one was locked in a fight to protect the red one." Zeno suddenly looked worried. "If you are the man my grandfather spoke of then you might be needed by her." she paused in walking him through the tunnel before turning towards him and chastising him like an older sibling would with a younger. "But there are proper channels that you need to go through!"

Zeno began to laugh, which caused his shoulders to shake. "Okay!" he said loudly before Turning down a second tunnel. "Zeno won't forget your warning. Thank-you." he said over his shoulder before running through the tunnel.

Sighing Ora turned back towards the princess' chambers, she realized that she had been gone too long. Walking back she kept her eyes peeled for anything unusual, but saw nothing. Pulling the handheld TDD she found that only twenty-two hours had passed since her father couldn't appeared her, yet he hadn't showed up. _Where is he?_ she wondered after she checked to make sure the princess was still in her room sleeping soundly. When she walked out of the room, she saw him. _Father._

Chuckling he stepped towards her. "I never imagined you would follow me here." he said as he approached her. "I can't let you hurt her."

"I don't plan to-" he began before she spoke up.

"You plan to leave her in some god forsaken time and see what happens when she doesn't have the dragons to protect her." she stated as a frown appeared on her lovely face. "She'll die and the future will change too much."

"You don't know that." he said as he walked towards her. "Kouka will be fine." he chuckled. "She's just one girl."

"One girl who changed everything for the better." she stated. "I've studied her life thoroughly. She'll become the savior this country needs and then become the most powerful Queen this country will ever have."

Her father pulled out a gun from the inside of the long haori jacket he was wearing. "Sorry, but I'm taking her." he stated. "You can't stop me."

Ora frowned at her father's words. "No, but I can scream." she stated.

"Go ahead." he said. "Ill just stop you from coming here once I return home."

She chuckled. "Don't you understand?" she questioned him. "That future will stop existing and a new one will appear. I may not exist in that one."

He chuckled. "Then I'll finally get rid of you." he said causing her eyes to widen. "I never loved you. Every invention you've had, should've been mine and if you cease to exist, then all the better." he smiled as he pulled the trigger of his weapon.

A single gunshot echoed into the night.

* * *

 

Kye-hon watched his daughter fall to the floor in the middle of the hallway in front of the princess' chambers. As he walked passed her, he could see a pool of blood forming under her. Lifting his device up, he saw that he had one hour left. Bending down, he searched her person but couldn't find her device. Cursing, he stood up and quickly went into the room where he found the red haired toddler awake and looking around herself, as if she was trying to figure out what was happening. Picking her up, he began to make his way out of the room when he was suddenly tackled from behind causing him to drop both the child and the device.

The princess began to cry loudly as the two men in front of her began to fight.

Kye-hon growled as he punched the unknown male in front of him. The grunt allowed him to know that his punch had some effect. The body fell off of him. Standing up he kicked the smaller body until it stopped moving. Turning around he found that the princess had stopped crying and now had the TDD device in her hands and was pressing the buttons on it.

"Give me that!" he yelled but before he even took a single step forward, he suddenly fell forward.

"Zeno won't let you hurt the Miss!" Zeno yelled as he tripped the man when he grabbed both of his legs, causing the man to fall forward when suddenly the princess noticed a bright red button on the device that just screamed to be pushed and like most children her age, she did what she wanted and pressed it.

The next second a huge whirlwind suddenly filled the room. Lightning and energy formed a hole behind Princess Yona and began to suck her towards it. Zeno and the strange man watched in horror as the bright red haired child suddenly was sucked into the black hole before it vanished.

Kye-hon quickly kicked Zeno off of him before rushing out of the room. Zeno began to chase after him when he heard Ora suddenly groan. A part of in wanted to chase after the man, but the young woman that had been so worried about the Miss needed him. Taking the scarf off from around his head, he began to press it against her wound. It wasn't long before guards began to show up. With pointed weapons pointed at them, Zeno knew they were in trouble. He needed to think quickly.

"You need to stop that man!" Zeno yelled. "He stole the Princess Yona!" he pointed towards the way Kye-hon had disappeared to. "He hurt my sister!" he cried, trying to fool the men. Either these guards weren't very perceptive or his words got to them, he wasn't sure which; but they took off in the direction Zeno had pointed towards. Seconds later though, more people began to show up with more soldiers. Zeno gave them the same story, and soon the entire castle knew what happened as these guards stayed to help Zeno transfer his _sister_ to the medical wing, all the while people were running around searching for the missing princess. It was during this chaos that Zeno suddenly felt his bond with the little princess snap causing the dragon blood in his veins to scream out in desperation, which caused the eternal dragon to whimper with sorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Okay, I know I should've posted another chapter in one of my other stories, but I couldn't get this scene out of my head. I hope everybody enjoyed this chapter. 2400 words. I'm impressed. Usually the longer chapters come later on in my stories. ^_^ LoL!


	4. Princess Yona

**Chapter 4** : _Princess Yona_

 

* * *

 

Waking up for the first time in life, the newly born red haired child cried and let her voice be known to everybody around her. Her newly formed soul wasn't as new as everybody thought, in fact her soul was as old as the beginning of the world; but not as old as the first soul, Ouryuu. It would seem that the only ones who knew this were her own parents and it always left them worried.

Her first day of life, she opened her violet; not blue, eyes to the world around her. The first person she saw was not the one she would call mother; but the one she would someday call father. Chocolate eyes met violet and in that moment her father had his suspicions of who she would one day turn out to be. When she was finally set into her mother's arms, she felt a sudden calm come over her that she fell into a deep sleep only hearing "Welcome to our family, Yona my dear." before nothing else registered to her brain.

At six months Yona had figured out who was family. Her mother was the dark haired lady who would lay her at her chest to let her suckle. Her father was the dark haired, short man who was small compared to her mother. Next was her uncle, but his eyes scared her and when he'd hold her, she'd scream until set down or handed off to somebody else. Then there was the blond boy who looked at her with a happy face that made her coo happily. The dark haired boy made her laugh when he'd run from the one eyed man who always smelled like sweet stuff. Then at night she would receive her special visitor. She didn't always see him, but the warm feeling he'd leave behind let her know he'd been in her room, watching her.

At a year old, Yona had figured out that if she wanted something all she had to do was point at it. Hungry? She'd point at a sweet cake and would be given it by whoever saw her wanting it. Wanting to be held? She'd find a servant or her mother and hold up her arms and they'd hold her instantly. Scream? People would come running to see what was amiss. It was the perfect system and Yona was smart enough to have figured it out early on in her life.

However, when she had seen the black haired pretty woman in the servant clothes that looked nothing like a servant, she had been curious about her. She first took her to the King's garden, where she saw her grandfather who totally ignored her cry to be held; he always did. Next she got to eat sweet treats with the servants, who giggled at how cute she was; which was a plus. As the day wore on she got the strange sense that she was being watched and it wasn't the nice feeling she usually got, but one that made her feel icky. She wasn't sure what it was, but she didn't really care either; she had no reason to.

Then she was put to bed, where she fell asleep. Loud noises woke her in the dark of night. She'd once woken in the night like this before, but this time was different. A scary person snatched her roughly from bed. People began yelling. Then she'd seen something small, something shiny and suddenly she wanted it. Standing she grabbed it before sitting back down and looking at it. The item glowed when she touched it. There were buttons on it and in her mind that meant she needed to touch them. When she did the scary man yelled, the blond man looked scared and then she was sucked away from them and into a hole.

When she opened her eyes she was somewhere that was not home. She saw tall dark things swaying in the sky. _Trees._ That's what her mother had once called them. The shorter stuff that came up to her armpits swayed with the wind also. _Grass._ Her mind supplied the word she'd also heard before. One bare foot stepped in front of the other and soon Yona was giggling in the night air as she ran through the high grass. She never noticed that her silk nightdress was being caught by twigs and low branches, ripping and shredding the delicate fabric from her body. It wasn't until she was naked and felt the cold night air against her bare skin that she realized that something had happened.

Suddenly cold, she began looking for somebody to assist her; but there was nobody nearby. Screaming loudly the only thing she heard were the cries of scary things in the night. This was the first time something creeped into her chest that felt slick and oily, like the black ink her father wrote with. Fear. She didn't know the name of this feeling, but one thing she did know; she didn't like the feeling.

Tiny legs began to run through the high grass, this time laughter didn't follow. Yona began moving faster. She needed to find mother or perhaps father! Hot tears fell down her cheeks as that oily feeling spread throughout her chest. Her tears filled her visage and soon she was crying loudly, screaming almost. She couldn't talk, she hadn't learned that yet. Snot fell from her nose as her tearful emotions wracked her tiny body.

Her head turned one was, then spun towards the other. Scary noises filling the night air. _Mama! Papa!_ she cried in her mind. Vocally all that came out were more tear filled wails. Suddenly the ground beneath her feet vanished as she fell. She landed in icky muck that smelt bad, was really wet and slimy.

Not sure what to do or where to turn to, she did the one thing she seemed good at lately. Princess Yona cried, loudly.

* * *

 

Blue eyes looked up at the night sky, the moon was full and once again the blond haired yellow dragon warrior was left at the palace as his two brother's went to save Abi from curtain death. He'd been left behind to protect Kuuto; the last line of defense. Hiryuu knew nothing of barbarians appearing on their boarders. He had been feeling ill for awhile now. It worried them all very much.

It was at the midnight hour that Zeno felt like his soul was being set afire. Rushing down from the palace wall he ran to the stables. Placing a blanket on the grey speckled horses back, he jumped onto the beast and kicked its sides to get it to run at a high speed quickly. As the horse reared back, it began to do just that and ran off with Zeno hanging on for dear life. He sped through the palace grounds and out of the gate. The two guards watched with questioning looks as Lord Ouryuu rushed off into the night and with no word on where he was going, they were left to stare off at his quickly disappearing form.

Zeno sped through the city, the buildings becoming a blur as the young man, who really wasn't very young, rushed headlong into the night. That pulse from before was becoming desperate. Something wasn't right. His soul, no, the soul of the Ouryuu through his bloodbond was screaming for him to get to a certain place, a place he wasn't sure of.

* * *

 

Across the land the silver haired older dragon warrior hefted his blue haired brother over his shoulder. He and Shuten had killed all of the barbarians who had attacked Abi's lands. Their poor brother was in tears because of the deaths of his men and as he held his brother over shoulder Guen could feel Abi's body shaking with his emotion from their battle without Hiryuu at their side. He turned his head at the sound of something squishing nearby and saw Shuten had stepped or perhaps had kicked a head clean off from another soldier.

"You've got something on your foot." he stated tiredly, not even really wanting to stay any longer to make sure they had killed the very last of their king's enemies.

"Ick." the green haired man said as he kicked the brain matter off his foot. "That got old a decade ago." he gave a sudden sigh. "Is he okay?" he asked looking at the weakened blue haired warrior.

"I don't kno-" he suddenly froze as the blood in his veins began to heat up.

"Wha-" Shuten began as he gave a gasp at the sudden feeling.

"Hiryuu?" They heard Abi say tearfully. "Is it him?" he said, his voice quivering.

"Stupid king has died?" Shuten ask surprised neither Abi nor Guen said anything at his words.

"Zeno is on the move." Guen stated as he felt his youngest brother's light move quickly through and away from Kuuto.

"Why?" Abi wondered. "I need to see!" he began struggling in Guen's arm only slightly.

"Good grief." was the white haired warrior's words as his brother practically fell onto the floor. Both he and Shuten grabbed him and took him over to the nearest window.

Abi lifted his eyes, his bloodshot golden eyes looked out at the world in front of him. He didn't see the blood, the corpses nor the mess his brothers had made in order to get to him. His eyes looked passed the fields, the houses, the cities until he saw Zeno's back riding towards the boarder of the sky and wind. He pushed his sight passed his brother and went even further ahead of him until he saw it. A red haired, missing toddler child, crying in a puddle naked as the day it had been born.

Abi's eyes were wide as a small gasp made its way through parted quivering lips. "Hiryuu?" he whispered. He turned his gaze towards his brothers as his eyes filled with tears. "How?" As he felt the dragon bond with the child. His eyes turning back to the palace. Wide eyes looked a very much alive king sleeping in his chambers. _How is this possible?_ He wondered as he looked at his brothers. "Let's get back to the castle, something strange is happening."

* * *

 

It was the first light of dawn when Zeno arrived at his destination. The warm pulse had turned from frantic to gentle waves the closer he had gotten to where he was going. He had played hot cold for a little while when he suddenly heard the soft crying sound. Pushing the brush back and away he found his eyes widening. The soft crying sounds were coming from the red haired toddler in front of him. Quickly taking his silken haori off his shoulders he wrapped the child in the yellow jacket. Tiny hands grasped at him as cries turned to small shaking sniffles, hiccups and soft whimpers.

"King...Hiryuu?" he asked as he looked down at the swollen eyes of the child in his arms and felt the bond tighten between them.

Yona looked up at the blue eyes of the man holding her. She was safe...finally somebody had heard her. Her tired eyes slowly closed. She heard the name he had called her. "Y...o...Yooo..... na." she said tiredly. "Mmm...Yon..a." she fell quiet as she laid her head against his chest, his heartbeat putting her to sleep.

 _Yona?_ Zeno questioned before smiling as his shoulder shook. _The bond! It's with her like it's with..._ he thought as he nuzzled the top of her head. _You're safe._ He thought as the exhausted child fell asleep. He sat on the ground for a moment to let his horse rest from the harsh run he had made the creature take in order to arrive here in time. Zeno held her tightly to his chest and felt tears begin to fall down his cheeks. I don't understand, but I'm certain King Hiryuu will. He thought as he placed a kiss on the top of her forehead and stood up to find a stream in order to clean the first child off.

* * *

 

Zeno didn't return to Kuuto until mid-afternoon. When he arrived through the large palace gates he found all three of his brothers were looking expectant at him. It was Shuten who stole the tiny child out of his arms before Zeno had even attempted to get off of his horse. "Brother, be careful!" Zeno yelled at the rambunctious Ryokuryuu.

"Shut up! I know how to hold a kid!" he yelled at the blond. "So anybody know how this is possible, because this I'd feels like the idiot king."

"That's not-" Zeno began only to be cut off by Abi who stole the child away from the loudest member of their group.

"You obviously don't you understand a thing about children, you barbarian." He teased, his mood having drastically changed once they had returned. His face was covered with bruises and his arms had some weakness from having used his ability while under duress. He was still weak, as his body suddenly shivered as a tremor went through him. Guen's stranger arms lifted the now awake child out of Abi's before the blue haired warrior lost his battle to stay upright.

"But-" Zeno was once again ignored as Guen cooed at the child.

"He's kinda cute little toddler." he mumbled, a soft flush appearing on Zeno's face from his frustration.

"BROTHER'S!" Zeno yelled gaining everybody's attention. Jumping off of the horses back he walked over to them and pulled his haori open from around the toddlers body. "He is a she." He simply stated. "And her name is Yona."

All three looked at the naked toddler in Guen's hands before they heard giggles coming from the child. Yona gave a happy yell of her own when Zeno had yelled before giggling at the strange men in front her. _I like these people._ she thought with a giggle ripping through her lips. _They're cute!_ Her bright eyes watched them stare agape at her as her giggles filled the courtyard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Had a different chapter written but am happier with this version. ^_^
> 
> UPDATE: So I had some problems with the original upload. I'm not sure why but my auto-correct was placing words in spots that it shouldn't have. So just to let everybody know, Hiryuu is alive. He's at the end of his life, but is still alive right now.


	5. Questions

**Chapter 5** : _Questions_

* * *

 

The red haired toddler kept looking between the four strange men as they talked. The pretty eyed one was currently holding her and she couldn't stop trying to trace the red markings on his face. They were too pretty not to touch! The loud green haired kept touching her hair, petting her while talking. The white haired one looked like he wanted to grab her and hold her tightly to him. Then there was the golden haired one who was complaining, loudly. They were making her feel all giggly and warm inside, like she knew these people; but she'd never met them before!

Her tummy rumbled, she was still naked under the yellow haori jacket and she was starting to want her mommy. So she did what she always did when she needed attention. She cried.

* * *

 

Abi jumped slightly as the quiet child he had been holding suddenly started crying. She had been trying to grab at his face for awhile, but had seemed to give up on that venture. Now she was crying and he was at a loss. Holding her at arms length, he looked at the others who were no longer arguing how impossible it was that she felt like Hiryuu, but were looking at him.

"What'd you do!?" Guen asked loudly, his usually gentle nature vanished as the child cried even louder.

"I did nothing." he stated, which was the truth. He was glad they had moved from the open courtyard to the peaceful and secluded gardens that were near King Hiryuu's personal chambers. Since his wife having died in child birth years ago, Hiryuu no longer shared his chambers with anyone. Only his closest companions and his son, Yak-shi, were allowed in his chambers and personal gardens.

Shuten grabbed Yona from Abi and held her on his hip. Grasping her chin, he made her look at him. Forcing her mouth open he saw a couple of new teeth coming through her gums. "Her teeth hurt is all." he said causing everybody to look at her.

"I think she looks hungry." Zeno told them before giving a yawn. He'd been awake all night as he'd ridden back. "I'm still curious as to why she felt like Hiryuu and still does."

"It is curious." Abi stated with a slight yawn himself. "I've got paperwork to do. I still don't know where those barbarians came from."

"You were lucky we knew to come help you." Shuten groused as a deep frown appeared on his face.

"I sent a messenger." Abi stated as he began walking away. "Not my fault you still can't read."

"What'd you say!?" he half growled, half yelled. The child in his arms gave a loud yell that joined his causing everybody to look down at her. "Damn it, that's just too cute." He gave her a toothy grin, gaining one from her in return.

"Don't curse in front of a child!" Guen yelled, his protective side flaring.

"Don't squeeze her too tightly!" Zeno yelled out as her watched Shuten's arms tighten around Yona, who had stopped crying and was now enjoying these loud men and their arguments.

All four warriors were so eveloped in their argument with each other that none noticed that their voices were getting louder and louder, so much so that they had gained the attention of somebody nearby. King Hiryuu knew his time was running out in this life, he had known for awhile and it made him sad that he would be leaving his friends behind; especially Zeno.

This morning he had felt a sudden jolt of energy enter his being, a sense that he was needed for something; but for what he had no idea. Waking early, he had gone to his private garden and sat under his favorite tree to listen to the morning birds. However the serenity of the hour was suddenly disturbed when he heard his warriors begin arguing, quite loudly. Slowly standing, Hiryuu made his way to the koi pond they were arguing and just watched them for a moment or two. Then he saw a small child in Shuten's arms and Zeno was fretting over it. The scene was so adorable, so it wasn't really his fault that he began laughing when the child gave another cry at Shuten before she yanked hard on his very long green hair.

His laughter gained the attention of his companions and the child who suddenly looked at him. As soon as he stopped laughing, his eye met those of the child's and suddenly he felt his soul stir. A connection was made between them in an instant. He could see what once was and what would be, between the two and felt a gasp leave his lips. _Brother, how can this be?_ he asked silently towards Ouryuu. He had spoken to his brothers for years, even after taking on his human form and they sometimes answered him, but Ouryuu was silent on this one.

Approaching the group, he opened his arms to take the child, the little one responded instantly as she wiggled to be taken into his arms. Looking down into matching eyes, he watched as recognition entered her eyes for a brief moment before it was snuffed out. Giggles erupted from her lips as she reached up at his face. Smiling down at her, Hiryuu spoke quietly. "You are far from where you belong." he kissed her forehead. "Fret not, you are safe and will be safe until you are returned home." he turned back towards the buildings where his chambers were. "Send Yun-han, have her bring some girl's clothing. We need to dress her properly." He suddenly heard a slight rumble and chuckled. "Also have Ik-shi bring some food for us, we'll dine in my chambers." he turned away from them, his eyes never leaving the violet one's of his future self. "You do not belong here." he whispered to her softly. "I do not know how you came into the past; but you must be returned to your time immediately." he paused in the doorway to his rooms. "If I came back to this world once again, there had to be a reason." he said watching the morning sun rise higher in the sky before returning to his darkened rooms.

* * *

 

Ora groaned as her eyes slowly opened, she had a horrible headache. Slowly she sat up in the bed she was in. Looking around the room, she found that it was empty; except for one person.

Zeno was rubbing his head, all night long he'd had a horrible headache. Then early this morning he had several flashes of memories overlapping. One where King Hiryuu died quietly in his bed; while another one had formed of Hiryuu playing with a red haired child, who giggled and called him Papa Hiryuu. In that memory Hiryuu had lived another six years, long enough to witness Guen and Shuten's sons to be born and to see the next generation of warriors come into life. His attention was drawn to the young woman before him.

"Zeno has questions that need answers." he said, a frown appearing on his usually calm face.

Ora nodded as she slowly touched her chest, pain radiating from her wound. She felt Zeno push her back onto the pillows. "Alright, but I want my questions answered." she said.

"Zeno agrees." he replied as he sat down next to her bed on the floor. "Your name isn't Kiana, what is it really and where do you come from?"

"That's a mouthful." she said quietly, the frown on Zeno's face deepened, this made her realize that he was serious with his questions."My same is Doctor Ora Tomoe, I'm a scientist and I hail from Kouka; but not from this era." That got a curious reaction. Zeno crossed his arms over his chest and actually looked to be contemplating the implications of what she'd just said. "I'm from a place where it's been five thousand years since Hiryuu's time." She saw his eyes widen and jaw slacken in shock. "Or a little over two to three thousand years since Princess Yona lived, created the systems that are still in use in politics in my time and the freedoms she implemented for young women."

Zeno cleared his throat. "Why are you here and where did the Miss go?" he asked, trying not to think too hard on what she was saying.

"Originally I created the machine that brought me here to help us understand our history better." he cocked his head at her, seeming to be confused. "Most of our history has been lost to time. Through wars with our neighboring countries or from natural disasters. I know for a fact that after Princess Yona's time, around five hundred years, there will be an earthquake the completely destroyed Kuuto, the castle and parts of the water and wind territories." she sighed. "The great library that Princess Yona builds for her friend, someone named Yun, was once filled with so much knowledge and the whole history of Kouka was in this library; however, the earthquake destroyed it. Everything was lost in a single moment of time." She shook her head. "My father had other ideas for my invention. He and my grandfather have been trying to prove for years that King Hiryuu and his dragon warriors did exist. That Princess Yona was Hiryuu's reincarnation and that if she and they never existed that everything that Kouka has become wound not be. They've been laughed at for years for believing the myth of Hiryuu was real. I've always believed it was real myself, but after facing ridicule myself, I dropped that issue and began looking into other things." She looked down at her hands. "I'm guessing my father got what he wanted and the young Princess is gone with him."

"No." Zeno said softly. "The Miss vanished before your father, or the man I assume was him, was able to grab her."

"Did she have something in her hands?" she asked causing him to look confused. Reaching under her blankets into her skirt she found her device still strapped to her inner thigh. "Like this?" she said pulling it out and handed it to him.

"Yes." he said. "What is it?"

"My invention." she tapped her chin as he laid it back in her other hand. "I wonder if I can return home. If so, I could find a way to track where my father's device ended up. If I find that I can find her." she began activating the TDD.

"You have questions for Zeno?" he asked.

"I know you are the Ouryuu, I figured that out when I found images of you." he seemed surprised at this information. "Besides, your current name isn't really original. Zeno Ouryuu, a.k.a. Onez Uuyruo. Not very original." Zeno flushed in embarrassment. "If this works, perhaps you can help me."

"How?" he asked.

"If you are still alive in my time, come find me." she said with a smile. "Ora Tomoe, I live in the Tomoe Labs Apartments." she scratched her cheek. "Hopefully you'll remember that."

"Zeno remembers import dates." he said. "Miss disappearing is an important date."

"Then I'll ask my questions then when we meet again." she stated as she looked at the time on her device. "Find my father and turn him in as Princess Yona's kidnapper. That should make him think about what he's done." she sighed as she typed in the date that she'd left. The TDD had five hours left to it before it's charge would end. Hopefully nothing has changed too much. She thought as she activated the device and left the bed she was in as the orb surrounded her and sent her back to her time.

As Ora blinked her eyes, the light from the orb vanishing and leaving her in a semi-ruined laboratory. The TDD was still active. Walking up the stairs to the control room, she found that the main device was fully active and that she was where and when she needed to be. She also Found that she had only entered the original portal only ten minutes ago. "Incredible." she said with a smile, as she pulled a chair back and began to type into the computer the ID number that her father's device used, it's was only number six. The computer opened a small portal into the TDD that would send a small probe that would search the timeline for the energy signal that her father's device would emit. Even if the time ran out, the fusion core battery would give off a signal for two decades afterwards.

Now all she had to do was wait for the results of her probe and for Ouryuu Zeno to appear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So now Ora and Zeno will be working together to find the missing Princess Yona. Hiryuu knew instantly who Yona was through the connection he still has with who he once was. Yona is a very smart toddler, she knows how to get people's attention. LoL. ^_^


	6. Princess' Adventure

**Chapter 6** : _Princess' Adventure_

* * *

 

Since finding her way to the man that looked like her and made her feel like there were butterflies in her tummy, Yona eventually found out that both Mommy and Daddy would not be coming to get her. However the first night she didn't realize this though. That night she had fun with the red haired man. He let her climb all over him, it made him laugh at her antics. The green haired man had yelled funny words when she'd pulled his hair; which caused both the golden eyed man and the white haired man to hit him over the head. Yona had started giggling as they began yelling at each other. The blue haired man grasping a fist full of green hair as the white haired mans hand turned huge and bonked the green haired man on the head. She began laughing at the same time the red haired man did.

Yona then crawled over to the yellow haired man that mad her insides feel all warm and spoke for the first time in front of everybody. "Zzzzzzenno...." she said reaching up to his face. He smiled as she hugged him tightly.

"Hey!" The green haired man yelled. "Why'd she say his name first!?" This caused the other two to nod in agreement of that question.

"Maybe because I found her?" he asked just as she yanked the pendant around his neck. "Does Miss Yona like the dragon pendants?" he asked her as she suddenly put an edge of it into her mouth to suck it. Zeno laughed as the other three went "Aw." at the same time.

"Damn it, she too adorable!" Shuten yelled with a wide smile.

"Stop cursing in front of her!" Guen yelled with passion in his voice.

"Shouldn't you get back to that noble lady?" Shuten asked the silver haired Hakuryuu.

Guen sputtered at him. "Shut up!" he said with a pout as he leaned his head on his arm which was on his leg as he sat on the cushions in the kings chambers.

"You're one to talk." Abi stated. "Which girl are you with this week?"

"At least I've got a girl, goldie." Shuten stuck out his tongue at Abi.

"How mature." was Abi's response.

"G...oooon." Yona said pointing at Guen.

"She's trying to say my name!" he said excitedly.

"She called you goon." Shuten stated before chuckling. "That's right sweetie." he said to Yona. "He's a goon."

Yona cocked her head at his words. "Ah!" Guen yelled. "I am not!" He growled at Shuten who began to laugh loudly.

Hiryuu stared at his companions as he watched them argue and yell at each other over what the little one was saying. "Zeno," he spoke softly gaining the others attention. "You called her Miss Yona, why?"

"She said her name was Yona when I found her." he stated, his yellow hair swishing as he moved while Yona found the dragon necklace's beads suddenly important and begun to move them between her fingers. Testing something she pulled on them, which caused Zeno to lurch forward. "Miss, be nice. It's not nice to pull the necklace like that." Hiryuu watched Yona for a moment interact with Zeno before giving a nod to a thought he had.

Yona suddenly smiled at him. "Zeno." she said clearly as she pointed at him.

Zeno smiled. "Yes, I'm Zeno." he pointed at the man next to him. "This is Abi. That's Shuten. That's Guen."

"Goooen." Yona repeated the Hakuryuu's name.

Guen groaned. "Guen." Zeno repeated.

Yona looked up at Zeno, then at the silver haired man and then back at Zeno again. "Gu...en." she said in a stutter before giggling and crawling across the bed to him. Sitting in front of him she said it once more as she pointed at him. "Guen."

Guen's face lit up like nothing else in the world matter. "That's right!" he yelled excitedly.

"Shu." she pointed at Shuten who groaned causing everybody to laugh at her.

"Well, she learn quickly at least." Abi said as he stood up. "I've got a few reports to look at, and one to write up." he picked up some of the dishes from the floor before setting them on the cart.

"What report?" Hiryuu inquired as he watched his friend stand to leave. Abi froze, while the others suddenly looked nervous. "You're hiding things from me." he accused them.

"We just don't want you to worry." Guen stated as he sat Yona down on the floor. The little girl watched them for a moment before finding them boring as they were no longer paying her attention. "There was an incident, but we handled it."

"Yeah, it wasn't even that big of a deal." Shuten stated with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I'm sure." Hiryuu stated as he frowned at them. "I have a hard enough time trying to keep the nobles from usurping, I don't want to worry about you four hiding things from me." he took a deep breath, a pain in his side made him take a steadying breath. The four warriors gave each other worrying looks. "I know I am weakening. I am slowly dying, I have known for awhile;" he glared at them as a fire of determination entered his eyes. "but I will not die just yet!"

They had the courtesy of looking ashamed. "Of course." Abi said softly. "Then do you want me to tell you what has happened in the water tribe?"

"Yes." Hiryuu said with some authority in his voice.

Abi gave a soft smile at his words before he began to tell Hiryuu about the barbarian arm that came from the sea. "At first I thought they were from Sei, but the flag was not one from that country, nor from Xing." he looked over at Shuten who gave a nod.

"It was black with a white star under a golden half moon." Shuten said as he recalled seeing the glad flown by one of the military soldiers he had killed. "The skin of the men was darker than normal too."

"I noticed that!" Guen agreed. "Almost the color of wet dirt, but not black like night. Just a darker brown color." he said describing the enemy.

"The armor they wore was black though, with red fire drawn upon it." Abi said trying to recall every detail. "The leader had golden armor with a bird upon his chest."

Hiryuu touched his chin. He recalled in his early days fighting an enemy like this. "They don't come from Kai, Xing or Sei." he said sounding confident. "I fought a similar enemy a long time ago. They came from a country of sand." he looked up. "I thought they'd been eradicated." he sighed sadly. "I'll have to look up my early battles. I don't remember the name of the people."

Zeno smiled sympathetically towards his king. Even though he had no idea why he didn't age like the others, he knew that with age came memory loss as well as many other things. He then took notice that while they had been busy talking the little Miss had gone quiet. "Uh..." he began as he looked around himself. His brothers turning towards him with clear annoyance in their eyes. "Where is the Miss?" That got everybody's attention and with that all five men began searching for the tiny little girl.

* * *

 

Yona got bored of all the talking. She wanted to go to the gardens and play, but she didn't know where they were. She wasn't much of a walker yet, so she crawled everywhere. The long walkways were gated off with red trellis between each pillar, so she couldn't really go anywhere but where the walkways led. Each building had lots of people going to and fro to their jobs. Servants didn't see her because she was crawling on the floor. Councilors didn't pay her mind because she was below them. So she just went on with her exploration. She saw guards at their posts, but they didn't pay her mind because they couldn't leave their posts unless she was going kill somebody; which they doubted.

Yona found a really big building with lots of scrolls and books. Off to the side was a secondary chamber with a huge bed. Crawling deeper into the building she could hear a voice mumbling numbers and words she didn't understand. Looking around for the source of the words she found a young man who looked like the red haired man, but had dark locks like the boy that the one eyed man who yelled a lot. He was sitting at a desk writing something with one hand while reading something out loud. Giggling as she sat on her bottom while looking up at him, suddenly violet eyes looked around before meeting her violet eyes.

Yak-shi was bored out of his mind with taxes and how much each territory was giving the king and how much was still owed or had gone missing from the kings purse. The sound of a child's giggle interrupted his thoughts, but was a welcomed distraction. Lifting his head, Yak-shi looked around, but saw nothing until he looked to his side and saw the red haired toddler. She was wearing his father's colors as her kimono was made of the same material as his father's, she even looked like him. Standing from his seat he approached the child and picked her up.

At sixteen Yak-shi was the only child between King Hiryuu and his wife, the late Queen. Looking down at the child in his arms, Yak-shi smiled at her. "It seems father has been keeping a secret." he said as he kissed her forehead. "Are you my baby sister?"

As Yona looked up at the young man before her she was suddenly reminded of her scary uncle's son, the boy with kind eyes. This man looked like him, Su-won, if she remembered right. The only difference was the hair and eyes, but everything else was the same. She frowned at him, before reaching out at him and grasping his hair.

Yak-shi chuckled as he unwrapped her fingers from his hair. "That's not nice." he said before sitting her down on the desk before grasping the ribbon he usually had in his hair. Tying the long strands of black hair back, he then picked the little girl back up. "My name is Yak-shi." he said as he held the child on his hip. "What's your name?" He waited for her to say her name, but got nothing. "Hmm... Perhaps you're too young to talk."

"Shu." Yona said pointing up into the air.

Yak-shi looked at what she as pointing to and saw Lord Shuten jumping high in the air. "You know fathers warriors?" he asked in wonderment. He gave a soft laugh. "Of course you do. I was raised with them too." he watched the Ryokuryuu warrior take off towards the barracks. "Which do you like the most? I like Lord Abi, not because of his eyes; but because he taught me how to love to read." he said looking up at the many shelves of books and scrolls in his personal corridors. "Ryokuryuu is fun to fight, if you want a challenge. Hakuryuu is a bit easier to fight, I think he lets me win though." he smiled as he began to walk towards his father's personal chambers. "Lord Ouryuu is nice to talk to, he's easily the nicest one out of the bunch; very calm too."

Yak-shi was almost to his father's rooms when Yona spoke. "Yona." she said looking up at him.

"Yona." he repeated before smiling happily. "I like that name little sister. It means Dawn." he cocked his head at her. "Does this mean you are the dawn of a new era? Or the dawn of new life?" he chuckled. "Everything father does has meaning to it." he shifted her go his other hip as he continued down the walkway. He found his father's rooms empty though. Going into the kings garden he found his father looking under bushes as Zeno was rushing around near the koi pond. He suddenly chuckled causing both to turn towards him. "Did you lose something father?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with joy at finding that his father Wasn't as perfect as people thought.

"Yona!" Hiryuu exclaimed as he rushed over to his son.

"Why have you kept her a secret father?" Yak-shi inquired as he handed the child to his father, the little girl hugging him.

"Huh?" Hiryuu suddenly found himself confused.

"You should've known I would've loved having a sibling." he touched Yona's cheek. "Especially one so adorable as she is."

"You wanted a sibling?" Hiryuu asked his son.

"Of course." Yak-shi responded before pulling his hand away at the same moment the other warriors arrived.

Hiryuu smiled. It would be a lie, but in order to protect her. "I apologize son." he said handing Yona back to Yak-shi. "I have been hiding her for over a year." Guen was about say something when the others waved at him to be quiet. "Her name is Yona. Her mother was a consort, but she left soon after she gave birth to our daughter." he said sadly. "I...was in need of companionship. I suppose she was not one to stay." he looked forlornly.

Yak-shi frowned. "I knew the council was trying to force something onto you, I never thought they'd force you to have a companion when you were adamant to stay single after Mother died when I was born." he said thinking his father's lie was truth, after all Hiryuu had never lied to him before.

Hiryuu nodded. That was true. He was hoping no more questions would be asked. "Your father wishes to keep her a secret for awhile longer." Abi stated.

"Today we lost track of her." Zeno said sounding sad.

Yak-shi smiled. "That's okay. No harm was done." he said as he looked at Yona. "I'll help keep her safe. Nobody will harm my baby sister." he kissed her forehead once more. Everybody smiled nervously and just hoped Yak-shi would not question anything else when it came to Yona. Little did they know this was just the beginning of their troubles with the little Princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I think Yona needs to wear a bell do they don't lose her again. Who liked Hiryuu's cover story? LoL!


	7. Games

**Chapter 7** : _Games_

* * *

 

Yona liked playing with everybody around her, servants including. Her most favorite game was hide and seek. They would seek her out and she would hide without even realizing she was playing the game. She wondered everywhere in the palace and could get into a room if there was a single hole open for her to do so. Her dresses usually came back with black and dirty knee prints on them from her crawling everywhere. Yes, she could walk, but only when she wanted to. Her philosophy to this was, why walk when she could move so much faster if she crawled?

Peering around a corner, she watched as the green haired man she had started calling Shu, was calling her name, but she just kept quiet and crawled onwards, away from him. She crawled through a hall with white polish floors and bright red walls. Large green, blue and yellow dragons danced on the ceiling as she crawled under their watchful gaze. Looking into an open door she saw the blue haired man, Abi, reading through several mountains of paper, a constant frown was on his face. Turning away, she quickly crawled off with a bright smile on her face just as golden eyes looked towards where she had just been, never seeing the tiny child that had moved passed his room.

Turning down an outdoors walkway, Yona saw the steps below her. Going down them backwards, she came down to the landing standing on wobbly legs before dropping to her butt and crawling off. Crossing the walkway that went by the koi ponds and green garden she quickly moved herself until she came to new halls. A noise in this building caught her attention. Finding the door inside was parted slightly, she saw old men yelling and arguing with each other. At the head of the room was Hiryuu and her brother Yak-shi, both looking a bit annoyed with all the arguments.

Yona smiled brightly as she finally found the one she'd been looking for. Crawling passed two guards, who didn't even see her, she went by yelling and arguing councilors. She didn't catch what they were yelling about, but it really didn't catch her attention. Too focused on Hiryuu, she didn't see the councilors get up and begin throwing papers across the floors, though she did see the papers once she'd crawled on them.

Yak-shi was the first to notice her, his body going stiff as he watched her crawl towards them. He had known about her for three months now. Yona, his little sister, had a spark of his father's spirit in her. That's what his father had said when he had explained her hair color and her violet eyes that matched his own. Hiryuu only noticed once she was at his feet, holding her arms up to be placed on his lap, though for some reason the councilors hadn't noticed her at all. Hiryuu picked her up off the floor, up onto the raised platform where he sat and waited for the council to quiet down and take notice.

Yak-shi was smirking as his father lost interest in the council's arguments and began playing with his daughter on his lap. Yona gave a sudden giggle as Hiryuu playfully tickled her stomach and sides. Hiryuu smiled brightly at her soft giggles and found himself wanting to join such innocent joy. It was then that he noticed that the room had gone oddly silent. Looking up, Hiryuu found every eye in the room looking towards him. The council's slack jaw reaction was enough for him to realized he'd been caught not paying attention. It wouldn't have been embarrassing if at that moment Yona hadn't looked right up at him and spoken. "Da-Da." her arms were held up to him, expecting a hug or something.

One of the councilman spoke up. "Your majesty, we didn't know that you had taken another wife."

Hiryuu glared at the older man, his normally kind eyes turning steely towards the councilman. "I haven't." he spoke sternly, his voice taking on a hard tone. "Yona is my daughter from a concubine that has since left." he told them as Yona tugged on the front of his robes.

Yak-shi lifted his eyes towards the councilors. "My father has stated it before, that he will not be remarrying, so why does it come as a surprise that he took a concubine?" he smiled at his little sister. "Yona was born as a product of my father's love towards another, that woman did not return his love; therefore she shall remain anonymous and left alone."

Hiryuu took a deep breath as he felt fatigue come over him. Since Yona's appearance, he had noticed that his strength was returning to him. He still felt tired as old age began to set in, his bones even creaked as he walked, though it was his joints that seemed to cause him the greatest discomfort, but after Yona had appeared he had begun to regain his stamina, even being able to sit through these meetings without wanting to fall asleep. Was Yona healing him? Was it because their souls were connected, if so, was her soul influencing his need to stay alive? He wasn't certain, but it allowed him to stay a little bit longer so he could ensure that Yak-shi was ready to take over when the day came for him to return to the heavens.

Standing from his seated position, he waved off any help from his son. "I am tired of these proceedings." he told the men in the room. Looking at his son, before Turning back to the councilors, he continued. "I am handing things over to my son. He is turning sixteen soon and in two years I plan to hand over the kingdom to him. It time I begin handing over more responsibilities to him to ensure the transition is easier for him."

Yona peered over Hiryuu's shoulder as he walked towards the door over the room. "Shi!" she cried out as she waved at him as they left the room. As soon as the two were gone from the room chaos exploded as the councilors demanded to know how this could've come about without any of them knowing of the birth of the first Princess of Kouka.

* * *

 

Hiryuu laid in the front room of his chambers with a bliss filled sigh as his joints and bones were allowed some form of rest. He truly was tired. He felt Yona begin to play with his hair as he laid on the comfortable bedding, the pillows surrounding them. The front room doors were open to the gardens. Shuten and Guen were training there as Abi and Zeno were sitting across the way talking and sipping tea. Feeling his hair being tugged a little too hard. He pulled the strands of hair out of Yona's hand. "Can we take a nap?" he asked her.

Little violet eyes looked at him before pink lips spread into a smile. "Da-Da." she said happily as she snuggled into his chest.

There was that word again. _Da-Da_. He gave a great sigh. He knew he should correct her, but as his eyes closed he found that he really didn't have the willpower to do so.

* * *

 

Zeno looked across the window into King Hiryuu's rooms and saw his majesty sleeping with Yona playing next to him. "He's staying awake longer these days." he heard Abi state. Looking across from himself he could see worry in those golden orbs. "I worry not for the King, but for Yona." he told his blond companion. "Once the King is gone, what will happen to her?"

Zeno frowned. "What do you mean?" he inquired, not quite sure what Abi was saying.

Abi took a Sig from his cup of tea as in the distance the clang of weapons could be heard. "To ensure they have control over his highness, certain people will go to great lengths to ensure there is no competitors for the throne." he told his friend, the serious tone of his voice told Zeno just how serious he was about this.

Zeno's eyes widened. "But she's the King!" he argued. "She's his reincarnation. We all felt it." he couldn't fathom someone trying to hurt her, but he knew it was possible.

"I don't know why she is even here, but I am certain we will learn the truth sooner or later." Abi took another sip from his cup and frowned as he realized that the drink had started to become cold. Sighing, he sat it to the side. "It is because of who she is that Shuten, Guen and I have begun to talk amongst ourselves about taking her away after Hiryuu's death." he looked sickened at the thought of flooding his dearly beloved king and friend.

Zeno nodded in agreement. It might be best. "I will stay then." he spoke with such conviction that Abi knew Zeno had been thinking about this as well.

"You should talk to Hiryuu, you _are_ his favorite." Abi told him before standing up and leaving the Ouryuu there to think about what they had just talked about.

* * *

 

Hiryuu woke up earlier than normal for having taken a nap. He usually slept from three hours straight, but he knew it was early because the sun was still high in the sky. He probably only had slept a full hour or two. Sitting up, he found that his back pain had diminished greatly. His room, however, was not the room he'd fallen asleep in and the four in front of him were not his guardians, but his brothers. "Have I returned already?" he asked with great sadness.

"No." the great golden dragon responded. His golden scales shimmering in the sunlight as he moved about the room. "Something is wrong brother. Time is not what it should be."

Behind him he felt the blue scales of Seiryuu move. The blue and white undertones looking like pure amethysts and diamonds as the body moved. "We have been feeling it..." his brother told him as his head came to rest upon Hiryuu's shoulder, the great blue and white muzzle pressing against his face. "Something is disturbing it to the point of chaos erupting along the timestream."

The two tightly curled smaller dragons, Ryokuryuu and Hakuryuu looked so tired compared to their usual energetic selves. Green eyes peered out of the tangle of body parts. "We have been trying to fix it, but our strength is limited to what we can do." Ryokuryuu told him with great sadness in his tone.

Silvery blue eyes looked at his brother. "The girl is your reincarnation. Her appearance alone in a time where you still live is upsetting the balance." Hakuryuu told him, his voice coming out like a hiss.

Hiryuu looked at his brothers sadly. "I know. I have sensed my strength returning when it was beginning to wane." he looked at each of their faces. "I am human, what can I do?" he asked them.

"We do not know." Ouryuu told him, his voice echoing in the chamber. Being the eldest amongst them, it brought them all great shock to learn that he did not know what to do. "I fear that something horrible must happen in order for time to be restored, but I do not wish to voice what that may be." closing his eyes he laid his large and heavy body down next to his youngest brother. "Let us just hope that those who have messed things up can fix them, and quickly." His words left all present to feel uncertain about themselves and the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Yes, I have updated this story. I swore I would! It just might become my weekend story to update from now on, along with my other two that I've been ignoring from time to time. ^_^


	8. Ripple Effect

**Chapter 8** : _Ripple Effect_

* * *

 

Ora was typing on her computer when Dr. Wong walked into the room with two third generation TDD's. "Are you certain this is a good idea?" he asked her as he pushed up his glasses on his nose. His dark hair casting a shadow upon his eyes.

"When the Ouryuu shows up, I plan to get his help to find Princess Yona." she told him. "He's the only one that can navigate through time without causing too big of a ripple effect." she touched the screen of her computer to show the time stream to her fellow scientist. "Here above is what the time stream looked like before my father messed with it and the Princess vanished from her time." The image showed a tunnel of energy going in a path without end. "It was balanced and there weren't any ripples within it." she typed a few strokes on the keyboard. "Now look at it." The tunnel had turned red with ripples going throughout it.

The man bent forward. "Its changing." he said with awe. "But the spikes of energy are dangerous looking." he looked at her. "How far back do these spikes of energy go?"

Ora shook her head. "I don't know." she looked absolutely mystified. "I've gone back as four thousand years and they're still going back."

"Could it be that Princess Yona has changed things just by existing in that era that's not her own?" he asked. Scratching his head he looked at her with confusion. "I thought she was only a baby."

"Toddler." Ora corrected him. "It could be that we don't find her until she's older." she stood up to stretch her legs. "So," she began as she picked up the portable TDD's. "what's the new time limit for these?"

"You'll get a full hundred hours on these." he told her. "The bugs have been fixed and I believe you'll be able to find and return Princess Yona to her correct time with plenty of time left over."

"That might be impossible, if we find her when she is older." she said as she examined the devices. "We may have to leave her with one of her guardians or possibly the priest."

"What priest?" Dr. Wong inquired.

"In the story of Princess Yona's journey it stated that she had a priest that helped guide her on her journey." she looked at the scientist. "Do you not know the story?" she watched him frown before shaking his head. "You use to." her eyes widened as she realized what was going on. "It's your memory. It's being affected by the ripple effect already."

"It would seem so." he told her just as her phone went off.

"This is Dr. Tomoe, who is this?" she asked as she answered the phone, the caller ID saying it was an unknown caller.

"This is security. We have a Onez Uuyruo out here saying he was invited to come into the science labs." the officer answered. The voice sounding deep and disbelieving as he spoke.

"Send Mr. Uuyruo up here and make sure he is accommodated." she told the security officer. Disconnecting from the security office she looked at Wong. "He's here."

"Who?" he inquired looking confused.

"Ouryuu." she told him causing him to scratch his head. "The effect is taking place. You'll probably get more confused as it goes."

The man nodded before handing her the devices. "I remember some. My memory is overlapping with other memories." he told her. "It's quite the experience." He sounding intrigued by what was happening to him.

"We'll leave within the hour." she told him before she turned and left her friend and fellow scientist. As she went down the hallway, she felt as if she was about to fall forward. Catching herself with her hand on the wall, Ora shook her head as everything righted itself. Hearing a ding, she turned the corner and found herself starring at Zeno, who looked none the different from how he had been all those years ago except he had a pair of sunglasses on and was wearing a tan suit with a baby blue shirt, his bond hair was tied back with a blue ribbon as he walked out of the elevator. He smiled when he saw her, looking nothing like the carefree youth he had once pretended to be.

"Ora it's good to see you once again." his smile broadened as soon as he saw her.

"We don't have much time." she told him as she grasped his wrist. "I know I said I had questions for you, but those will have to wait."

"It's because Missy is with Hiryuu, right?" Zeno inquired as they went down a corridor with multiple labs. Zeno's eyes widening as he looked into each room, seeing so many interesting things. "Zeno once was a science teacher, but he never saw things like this."

"Why do you speak in first person?" she asked, that had been one thing that had bothered her when they had last spoken.

Zeno ran a hand through his hair, an embarrassed flush dusting his cheeks. "Ze-I, had a wife eons ago." he said. "Her name was Kaya and she told me once that I should say my name when I speak so I don't forget it. Before I met her, I had begun to forget my name because it had been centuries since anybody had said it." he continued to follow her up some stairs. "It became habit forming. I stopped for a little while, but then I began once again."

They came to a room with the larger TDD in it. Zeno whistled when he saw the huge magnets and various other items that he couldn't name. He smiled at her. "You made this?" he asked with an impressed look.

Ora blushed at his impressed look. "I did." she told him before walking over to the computers to set the dates on. "You once said you could remember important dates easily. Is that still true."

Zeno grimaced. "No." he told her with a shake of his head. "About two centuries ago Ze-I began having memory problems." he looked sad. "I remember Missy appeared out of nowhere and it was around the time Hiryuu first got sick; but then he got strong again. Hiryuu died when she was seven years old, or at least that's the age we guessed she was. Guen, Shuten and Abi took her away to avoid anybody trying to do her harm. Yak-shi, Hiryuu's son, loved her like a sister and never knew she wasn't his half-sister."

"Half-sister?" Ora asked. "She would've been seen as the first Princess of Kouka then." Zeno nodded as Ora began to through the records on a separate computer system behind her. Typing into the search what she was looking for, it didn't come to too great of a surprise when she found what she was looking for.It was a story of the red haired Princess Yona, daughter to King Hiryuu who was the one to inherit the dragon warriors from her father. That the warriors created a secret village deep within the boards of Kouka that had never been found. She supposedly died in the village after becoming its first ruler. This story was close to the same age as the the founder myth.

 _If we can pinpoint the exact year._ She thought when suddenly the computer began to beep. Turning towards the computer monitoring the timeline, she found her eyes widening as it marked out the date where things began to change. Handing Zeno one of the portable TDD's she began to speak as she showed him how to use the device. "I found the exact date that things began to change. It's twenty years after the first King began to rule."

"Hiryuu ruled only eighteen years." Zeno told her.

"So two years after his death something happened to change everything." she replied back.

Zeno frowned as he was brought into a room where clothing was set out for them. Zeno picked up what he was being given before going over to a dressing room and undressing before re-dressing in something he hadn't worn in a couple of centuries. Smiling at the warm memories, he walked out in a pair of brown slacks, a white silk shirt and brown-yellow haori jacket as Ora came out in some men's clothes, her breasts bound to make her look more of a man. Her clothes were similar to Zeno's as her hair was tied back at the base of her neck.

Zeno suddenly paused. "The assassination attempt." Zeno said remembering that there had been an assassination attempt upon the warriors lives. "A council member, I forget who, saw it as unfair that the warriors went to Missy and would be leaving Yak-shi without support. I alone stayed at the palace as the first priest." he paused as he went over the memory and nodded. "Yeah, that happened exactly two years after his death. Missy was eight or nine."

"Then we appear two years before his death and take Yona then." she said causing Zeno to nod.

"Then what?" he asked her as the device began to start up as Ora typed in the date that the computer had given her.

"We take her back to her time, only four years after her kidnapping." she told him with a smile. "We either give her to the you of then or to a guardian." she then watched the TDD begin to create the tunnel through time.

Zeno sighed. "Not me, but I think Ik-su could protect her, somewhat." he told her as they began to walk into the tunnel. Ora looked at him with confusion at what he meant. "The priest Ik-su could barely take care of himself, but once Lad came around things got better for him." he smiled at her. "He'll be devoted to her though and she'll be okay." he told her with confidence. Nodding Ora and he began to walk into the portal to stop the timeline from collapsing and hopefully preserve the future for everybody involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Yay, I finally got to update this story! I'm happy about this.


	9. Panic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Zeno gets violent in this chapter. This includes some elements that are considered torturous.

**Chapter 9** : _Panic_

* * *

 

Zeno's eyes became wide as he watched Ora Tomoe vanish before him. Turning his head, he saw a guard with his back to him. He needed to tell the guard about Ora's father being the kidnapper, but Ora vanishing, she might become a suspect too. Unless Zeno destroyed this room. It was late afternoon, so nobody would be coming to check on her until it was time for dinner. Walking up to the door, he closed it slightly so that the inside would become dark. Next he took some pillows from a cupboard and placing them on the bed, under the covers, Zeno began the next phase once he was certain nobody knew what he was doing. Zeno then began to dump the contents of the lanterns around the room onto the floor and bedding. Taking a flint he started a small flame in the corner of the room.

Taking a deep breath he gave a sigh as the fire slowly spread across the room. It took fifteen minutes for the flames to begin crossing the room once the flames touched the oil, the room burst into flames. The heat from the fire was a bit more than what he was expecting. Zeno panted as he waited for a moment before giving cry of alarm.

Outside the building the guards walked away, thinking that the siblings would be safe enough. The men were still in shock as to what had happened the night before, the Princess was taken. Taken! Since then, the palace was on full alert. Soldiers from the five tribes had shown up and were searching Kuuto for the kidnapper and the small toddler Princess. Prince Il and his wife were both understandably upset at what had happened to their daughter. Lord Yu-hon had brought half of the sky soldiers and was searching the surrounding countryside for the Princess as the General's themselves had been ordered to search their own tribes. Every stone was to searched under. Every mountain was to be turned upside-down. Nobody was being allowed to rest until the man responsible for kidnapping the Princess was found.

Upon returning to their post the guards found smoke coming out of the building rushing forward, they heard a cry for help and ran inside. Flames were everywhere. The spotted the young man that had been with his sister near the front of the room coughing. The quickly brought the young man out of the room. As they did, suddenly the main support beam gave way and cashed onto the bed and floor beneath it.

"Kiana!" Zeno cried out, playing the part of a distraught sibling as he fought against the guards to get back inside.

"She's gone kid!" One of the guards told him.

Zeno let his knees buckle. "No!" he cried out, fake tears filling his eyes as he covered his soot covered face with his hands and began to cry.

Within minutes more people began showing up. Some with buckets of water, others to watch in horror as the flames covered every inch of the building, engulfing it. General Mundok had showed up late in the search for the young Princess Yona. He saw the smoke from the building that was on fire and saw the distraught boy that was being held back by two guards.

"What happened?" he asked the two men.

"We stepped away for a few minutes to patrol around the garden." One of the two men stated. "When we returned, the building was on fire."

Mundok knew it took more than a few minutes for a fire like this one to spread. So either these guards were missing from their posts for longer than they were say; which was punishable, or somebody had made the flames spread quickly. He touched his chin in deep thought as he looked at the distraught young man who was crying. Stepping in front of the youth he bent down so that their eyes would catch.

"What happened?" he asked the youth.

Zeno looked up at the wind general. He knew the thirty something general was very observant when he wanted to. "Kiana, she was telling me about the man that took the Princess." he said sniffing, wiping his face on the long sleeve of his shirt. "She said she recognized him as Kye-hon. He's a man who has been down on his luck and she'd been helping him out with the money she makes here." he shook his head. "I was only visiting her. I fell asleep in her room, so I was going to leave. I didn't know it was so late. Then she got hurt. I hit the man, but he was faster and he had something; but my sister was hurt and-" Zeno looked away to begin crying at his failure to catch the man, this time the tears were real. Suddenly he froze when he felt a memory surface of finding a red haired toddler many years ago when Hiryuu was still alive. _Oh my-_

Mundok touched the youth's shoulder to bring him out of whatever he was thinking. "Do you know where this man is?" he inquired gently, trying not to startle to boy. He'd met a several boys like this over the years, who had lost everything or somebody close to them.

Zeno shook his head before lifting his head up sharply. "But I saw him. I'd know if-if I saw him again." Zeno stuttered as he tried to clear his eyes with his hands. "He was dark haired, tanned skin and with dark eyes." _Sounds like half of Kouka._ Zeno thought with sorrow.

Mundok nodded. "That will be a start." he told him as he pulled the boy close into a hug. "I am sorry you lost your sister."

Zeno's eyes softened as he gripped the general in a hug to return it to him. "Mmhm." Zeno hummed as he gave a nod, not really sure what to do or say.

Releasing the youth, Mundok turned around in time to watch the rest of the building collapse as it continued to burn. _There won't be anything left in there_. He looked at the blond haired boy. _Possibly nothing for him to even bury._ Sighing with deep sadness, Mundok walked away to speak with the King and tell him what he had learned from the boy.

Watching the wind general walk away, Zeno sat on the ground and waited for the fire to finish burning. Zeno needs to leave now. He thought as he waited for nobody to be looking at him and snuck away. Going through some hidden tunnels that had been around since Hiryuu's time, Zeno soon found himself in Kuuto, the village below the castle. Running through the unusually quiet streets, Zeno began searching each streets for the strange man that that was Ora's father. _Maybe he left._ he mused to himself when s suddenly, near the eastern gate he saw the man trying to sneak out of the village.

* * *

 

Kye-hon had changed his clothes, stealing a pair of pants and a shirt that had been hanging to dry, he was now blending in with his surroundings. Nobody would be searching for him if they didn't know he existed and with Ora dead and having lost the TDD, he was now stuck in this time. He was leaving the city, placing distance between himself and the incident, when suddenly somebody grasped him and threw him into an alley. Having lost his balance because of his injured leg, he looked up in surprise at seeing the youth from the night below.

Zeno was very angry. Because of this man Missy would never reunite the four dragons and fulfill the prophesy spoken a year before her birth. "You aren't going anywhere." he said darkly. "Ora told me who you are and now you must be punished for your crime."

Kye-hon looked at the boy nervously. "Look kid, you've got the wrong guy." he told him, but the look on his face said he wasn't buying it.

"Ora has returned to fix your mistake." Zeno said causing the man's eyes to widen. "You missed her device." Zeno told him. "It doesn't matter though, you will pay for what happened to Missy." He said as he pulled back his fist and began to beat the living snot out of the man. Zeno looked down at the bleeding man, his fist covered in the man's blood. He then sighed as his anger seemed to simmer down. "You'll be punished by the King, but before that he will ask where you placed the Missy; but you won't be able to tell him the truth, right?"

Kye-hon groaned. "He won't...believe...I took..her." he gasped with a smile.

Zeno smiled at him dangerously. "Zeno will make it believable." he said as he pulled a small dagger out from behind him, hidden under his cloak. He held the dagger out in front of him, his eyes looking pained. "I take no pleasure in what must be done." He said before sitting on top of Kye-hon to stop the thin man from struggling. "This will hurt." he warned the man before he reached for the man's mouth and forced his mouth open before he cut Kye-hon's tongue out of his mouth.

Kye-hon gagged as blood gushed down his throat. Panic began to fill him as he believed he was about to die from this wound. The pain was too much! Tears ran down his cheeks as he spat out blood from his mouth. Turning on his stomach, he crawled away from Zeno, trying to escape his torturer.

Zeno stood up as he looked around for a torch or lit lantern. He found a fire pit in front of a nearby house. Placing his dagger in the pit, he walked back over to Kye-hon who was leaving a trail of blood behind him as he tried to escape. Grasping the man by his dark curly hair, Zeno dragged him over to the pit. Grasping his dagger, he once more forced Kye-hon's mouth open before he began cauterizing the wound with the hot metal tip of his dagger.

Kye-hon screamed in pain. His voice going hoarse as he suddenly urinated on himself from the intense pain. On the brink of unconsciousness, he heard the youth speak.

"You'll live, but you'll never talk again nor be able to taste food ever again." Zeno said as he took off his bloodied shirt and cloak. "I'll be taking you back to the castle and you'll be good or next time Zeno will kill you." he said this as a haunted look crossed the man's face. "When spoken to, you will nod or shake your head no." he told Kye-hon. "Do you understand."

Kye-hon nodded his head before Zeno began to drag him out of the alley. By now night had come, covering the streets in darkness. Zeno wasn't surprised that nobody stopped him when he dragged the man through the empty city streets. Nobody came out to help Kye-hon, nor did any soldier bother stopping him when he was seen with the bloodied man. It took him an hour to cross the city and another to climb the hill to the castle gates, Zeno came to a stop as he released Kye-hon's shirt. The soldiers looked at the youth, not recognizing him from earlier that day, as these guards were different from the ones on an earlier shift.

Zeno smiled at them with a friendly smile. "This is the man who took Princess Yona." Zeno told them. "I found him in an alley with his tongue cut from his mouth." Most knew that if your tongue had been cut from your mouth it was a sign of a liar or a lying thief.

"How do you know-" one of the guards began when a voice from above the gates spoke.

"Because he was a witness to the Princess' kidnapping." Zeno looked up to see Mundok standing next to Lord Yu-hon and General Lee Geun-tae.

Yu-hon must have returned while Zeno was in the city. He thought grimly as watched the two men leave the wall. A moment later the gates opened to reveal the two general's.

Yu-hon raised a lantern to look at Kye-hon. "How did you find him?" he asked Zeno suspiciously.

Zeno looked saddened suddenly before looking away. "After...Kiana..." he stuttered with emotion. "I had to do something. I'm good at finding things." he looked at the battered man. "He wasn't as hard to find as I thought he would be. Just searched the alleyways." he said with a shrug. "Somebody cut his tongue out. I had to use my shirt to stop the bleeding before I found some metal to heat in order to stop him from bleeding out."

Geun-tae gave a dark chuckle. "That had to hurt." he said looking like he wanted to hurt the man himself.

"The king will want to speak to him." Mundok told Zeno before Yu-hon walked up to the man, his hands in fists as he struck Kye-yon in the face.

"Where is she!?" he snarled at the man as he grasped his dark hair.

Kye-hon gave a groan as he saw stars behind his closed eyes. He fell forward onto the cobblestone ground. His eyes closed in pain as he felt drool fall out of his mouth onto the stone.

Yu-hon growled at the two guards angrily. "Bring him!" he ordered them, both taking the man by his arms.

Zeno looked at Mundok. "Have they begun looking for my sister's body?" he asked with a pained voice.

"They'll begin in the morning." he told Zeno sadly. "For now, you'll stay in the wind tribe apartments." the older man told him as he went to walk away. Zeno sighed as he followed slowly. Feeling that the for awhile the days following were going to be filled with chaos.

* * *

 

Zeno didn't know how right he was. The next morning he was brought before King Joo-nam to tell how he found Kye-hon and why he went looking in the first place. Zeno explained how he had been the one to let Kye-hon escape the first night when his sister had been hurt. He had checked up when he said he hadn't known the made had taken the Princess, but thought he had just been a thief. He then told the King what Kiana supposedly had told him, the same lie he had told General Mundok the day before.

After a week of interviews and questions by both the King and Lord Yu-hon, who actually scared Zeno a little with his intense personality, Zeno was allowed to leave. A week afterwards Kye-hon was publicly executed in front of the entire city and all five generals, who had approved of this punishment. It was thought that Kye-hon had sold the Princess to Kai slave feelers that were known to visit Kouka from time to time, but that the slavers had double crossed him when finding out who the Princess was. Over the next several months the search for Princess Yona came to an abrupt end, leaving her parents distraught and the country angry.

Six months after Princess Yona's kidnapping the slave rebellions began in the Northern Kai region. The slaves began overthrowing their masters, killing them and right. The Kai citizens in the south began to worry about the rebellions reaching their territory. Soon the whole region became unsettled. Three months after the rebellions began a skirmish on the Kai/Kouka boarder occured in the earth tribe. General Lee Geun-tae fought in the battles that commenced from the skirmishes. Lord Yu-hon raced into battle with next to the earth General, the two men putting the battles to rest and became named hero's of their tribes.

Meanwhile Zeno traveled to the dragon tribes once again, taking the young generation of dragon's away from the corresponding tribes and brought the three young children to a valley gorge between the fire and wind tribes where a hermit of a priest lived. The priest welcomed the four warriors with open arms. Ryokuryuu was hard to keep under control, as the boy liked to explore and wanted nothing to do with the red haired master that was to come take his freedom away.

One day Zeno sat the green haired youth down and told him the tale of what happened to their young mistress, not master. As he told him of the strangers from the future that had taken Yona away, he saw anger in the boys eyes.

"Why didn't you kill them!?" he had yelled at Zeno, surprising Zeno a bit with his protective angry tone. Tears were in the boy's eyes.

"Zeno caught one that got left behind." he explained. He left out that Ora hadn't gone back to fix things. He just told him that two strange men from the future took Yona. "He was later executed. The country believes she was taken by slavers." The youth's eyes widened at this. "But Zeno thinks Brother Ryokuryuu should know the truth." _Somewhat_. he thought as he looked at the two younger children. "And one day we will explain it to them."

"What happens now?" the boy asked as his green hair fell over his eyes. His reason for fear was now gone, but suddenly a feeling of pure sadness filled him as the Ryokuryuu inside of him cried at the loss of its mistress.

"We raise them, then when the next generation comes, we tell them the truth about their origins so that they won't fear what they are." Zeno told him as he looked at the boy. "Deal?" the boy smiled at him before giving him a nod.

Unknown to them, those in the future were about to come crashing into their lives, once more, in a few short years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Okay, So now we know what is occurring while Ora is searching for Yona and Zeno is waiting to get to that time. Btw, has anybody seen the next Akatsuki no Yona sneak peek yet? The chapter comes out in January. Any way, OMG!!!! Something big happens! I'm very, very, very happy about it! ^_^ Not going to spoil it but let's just say, it's very good.


	10. Hello Again

**Chapter 10** : _Hello Again_

* * *

 

Fat drops of rain fell onto the earth, gloomy grey clouds covered the sky causing the sun to be covered and hidden from sight. The grass that was beginning to get crispy from lack of rain drank up the water that fell from the sky. Inside the red keep of the red king's palace, Princess Yona a glared as Uncle Shuten and Uncle Guen were playing a game that her daddy liked playing with them. It was called GO, but she really didn't understand it. All she did know was that it was a game of strategy, which was like war. It looked boring though and as a five year old little girl, she was very easily bored.

Across the room Uncle Abi was reading something called a progress report about something that was going on in the water tribe. Standing up she ran over to him with a book. Out of the four warriors, he was the only one who would read to her. Shuten made up his own stories about his supposed adventures across the country before he served her daddy. Guen liked to tell her myths and legends, most which were scary and gave her bad dreams. Zeno liked to tell her of the story how her daddy came from the heavens and about his four dragon brothers. She knew those tales so well that she could recite them by heart.

She watched Abi's golden eyes look up to her when she held up the big blue scroll with the best stories in it. A small smile crossed his features. He didn't know why Yona liked coming to him for her stories, but it warmed his heart every time she brought him her scroll filled with stories. Taking it, he helped her onto the bench he was sitting on by the open window that showed the empty courtyard. "What sort shall we read today?" he inquired.

"Story three?" she asked, knowing full well they hadn't even finished story two or one.

Abi chuckled as he opened the scroll and began looking through the writing until he came to the beginning of story three. It was just as he was about to begin the story when Hiryuu opened the doors to the building, a rush of cold air entering with him. Zeno was behind him with a bright smile on his face. "What's going on?" Abi inquired, knowing the look on the King's face.

"I've officially stepped down today as the ruler of Kouka." Hiryuu stated with a tired look in his eyes. Upon seeing Yona next to Abi, he began walking over to them. Sitting next to his adopted daughter, he pulled her into his arms.

"Yak-shi is the king now?" Shuten inquired before chuckling. "Guess the kid is ready for it. He's way smarter than most of the councilors you have."

Hiryuu gave a tired chuckle. "He gets it from Ha-kura." he mumbled as he poked the dimples on Yona's cheeks.

"Daddy play more with me now?" she asked with a curious look in her violet eyes.

Hiryuu smiled down upon her. "Yes." he said softly. "I was think about a trip to the springs in Bah-nai in the water tribe." he looked at his warriors who were all grinning at their king.

"I'm in!" Zeno shouted with glee.

Everybody sighed at Zeno's exuberance. "You'd think the kid wasn't a day over thirty with the way he acts." Shuten complained.

"Zeno young like me!" Yona giggled as she was picked up by Hiryuu who began tickling her. "Daddy!" she yelled between fits of laughter.

Zeno blinked in surprise at what the little Miss had said. He had asked Hiryuu, more liked cried to him, on what was the Ouryuu's power a few ears back. Now that he thought about it more, Hiryuu, Shuten, Guen and Abi all looked so much older than he did. If he really thought about it, he hadn't aged much; if at all. Was he really young still? It was a chilling thought, but one that was beginning to haunt him.

Guen moved his final piece in place, which caused Shuten to shriek in anger as he lost the game. Yona looked up at her father as Shuten's words got colorful. "Uncle Shuten always gets lively when Uncle Guen wins." she told him as he gave a chuckle at her words.

"Lively is one word for it." Abi said with a tone that stated that he was annoyed with the loud sounds.

"Those hot springs sound heavenly." Guen said as Shuten began to settle down from his tantrum.

Abi looked from the King to Guen to Zeno who was making faces at Yona who was giggling at the silly Ouryuu. "Zeno stop that." he chided. "If we leave within the hour, we can be there before nightfall. Then we could enjoy a full night and day there." The three older warriors really liked that plan.

Hiryuu smiled at them. "Or spend a week there." he watched them look at him as if he'd just grown another head.

"You may not be King anymore, but we still have responsibilities." Abi told Hiryuu who chuckled at his friend.

"Uh...actually." Shuten began as he rubbed the back of his neck. "The elders of my tribe want me to either marry or name a successor since I've reached my thirtieth year."

"About time." Abi mumbled.

"How many women have you turned away blue boy?" Shuten challenged his friend.

"Six." Abi mumbled quietly.

Guen grinned. "And here I've got four of them." he laughed as the other looked at him like he was crazy.

Zeno snickered causing everybody to look at him. "Perhaps you should give one to Zeno." Shuten said as a joke only for Zeno to look horrified.

"I don't need a wife!" he yelled causing everybody, but Yona to laugh.

Tugging on her father's haori to get his attention, Hiryuu looked down at her. "Are we going to the hot springs?" she inquired.

"Yes." he told her as he helped her off of the bench. Standing he took her hand. "I will be saying the week at the springs with Yona. If you four don't want to, it's up to you." he the walked away from them with Yona.

An hour later Hiryuu was riding his horse with Yona. Behind them was a wagon with clothing and items they'd need for a the week that filled it up. Riding near him were his four friends who looked happy to be leaving the palace for awhile, though Abi still had a look of worry on his face.

* * *

 

Yona had her hands over her eyes as she waited for Shuten and the others to get into the water. Her daddy was sitting across from her with a look of mirth and because she had no mother and no female caretaker, she had to bathe with the boys. Once everybody was in the water Yona was allowed to uncovered her eyes which allowed her to begin splashing around in the water as the boys talked.

"Is it serious, about you getting a wife?" Abi asked Shuten.

The green haired man groaned. "I hate the idea of being tied down to something." he saw a smirk appear on Hiryuu's face. "Don't even say it." he said causing his king's smile to broaden.

"I'm not saying anything." Hiryuu told him with a broad smile.

Abi sighed. "I hate to admit it, but I may be getting a wife as well." he told everyone. "I met her. She's sweet." he shook his head. "She makes me feel old though."

"Too young?" Guen inquired.

"She's nineteen, but looks way younger." he shivered at the thought of marrying a child.

"Miri has a sister." Guen began but got a glare from his blue haired brother; which caused him to laugh.

Yona looked at her daddy who was looking tired. "Daddy, are you okay?" she inquired, her inquisitive eyes looking at him.

"Hmm..." he answered before standing. Abi threw a towel over Yona's head, covering her eyes as he did so. Zeno followed the king and helped him out of the water and into the changing room.

"He's getting worse." Guen said with deep sadness in voice.

"His body is tired." Abi told him as Shuten covered his eyes with his hand. Causing Yona to mimic him. Picking her up, he got out of the water, covered himself and then lead her into the other changing room.

"You think it's gonna happen soon?" he asked Abi, pausing at the doorway Yona had vanished into.

"A couple months. Maybe a year, at the most." was his sad answer causing the other two to go silent.

* * *

 

Hiryuu sighed as Zeno helped him get into one of the bathing yukata's that the hot spring's inn gave to its customers. "I'll go help the Miss." Zeno told him as he was already dressed.

Smiling at his friend, Hiryuu watched the blond leave. A second later he heard the soft footsteps approach him. Turning his head he saw Zeno, but he was dressed differently. "Zeno?" he inquired.

Zeno scratched the back of his head. "Yes and No." was his answer. "I'm Zeno, but not the Zeno you know now." Zeno felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. "I'm from the far future. I have to take her or else time will begin to break down and what should be won't occur."

Hiryuu's eyes widened. "Zeno-" he suddenly found his arms filled as Zeno suddenly couldn't stop himself and hugged his dearest friend. "I'm sorry." Hiryuu whispered.

Zeno pulled back, tears still brimming his eyes. "Its okay." he said with a smile appearing on his face. "I've lived so long, but I've been able to witness thing I never thought I could or ever would." he saw Hiryuu give a weak smile. "When they ask where she went, tell them that she returned to where she belongs."

Hiryuu gave a nod. "What about the council?" he inquired.

Zeno shook his head. "You and Zeno, younger me, will go back; but send the others away. Tell them you'll be returning to the heavens and they must begin to build their homes elsewhere, but not to be discouraged because one day you will return." Zeno told him before hugging him once more. "I must go. I have to take Missy home now." He quickly turned around and left the room, leaving Hiryuu sitting there wishing there was a way to change Zeno's fate. When he sensed the others coming into the room, he took a deep breath as he turned to tell them what was going to be happening soon. There would be tears, he knew, but there was hope; because he wasn't going away forever. He would be back one day, someday soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I haven't updated this story since December 20th, so I thought I'd write a chapter or two towards it. I'll post another chapter this weekend. So older Zeno met Hiryuu again. The next chapter will tell the story how he found Hiryuu and the others.


	11. No Choice

**Chapter 11** : _No Choice_

* * *

 

Zeno took a deep breath as he and Ora stepped outside of the black orb that had brought them back into time. He recognized the city as a young version of Kuuto. The city wall hadn't even been built yet, however, upon the hill was Hiryuu Castle, fully fortified and with its red clay roof gleaming in the bright evening sun. It was beautiful.

"Okay, so how do we get inside?" Ora inquired as they began to walk through the small city streets. Venders were beginning to close their shop's before dusk.

"We find an inn around town, then tomorrow we begin looking for a way to get into the castle." Zeno told her.

"We don't have money." she pointed out to him.

Zeno turned towards her and smiled brightly. "Trust me." he said as they approached an inn. When the innkeeper looked towards them she gave Zeno a toothy grin.

"Lord Ouryuu!" she greeted him.

"Baaba." he said with a wide grin. "I was hoping to get a room for the night."

"What the palace ain't any good fer you child?" she asked him before noticing how he held the young woman's hand. "Or are ye tryin' to keep somethin' secret from those other warrior?"

Zeno laughed nervously. "She's lovely, isn't she?" Zeno announced causing Ora to flush lightly.

"That she is, but she's a bit thin." she motioned to how small Ora was causing Ora to look at herself.

"She's beautiful to me." he told the older woman.

"Well if ye love her," she turned to show them the way to their room. "treat her right, boy."

Zeno laugh, "Yes, yes." he told her as he closed the door. When he looked towards Ora she looked furious. Laughing nervously he said. "Sorry. It was best to go along with her assumption."

Ora gave a deep sigh of resignation. "Fine." she said as she did not want to argue with Zeno. "You knew her?" she asked.

Zeno began to pull the futon matresses out of the closet. When he heard her speak, he looked up at her just as the sun was beginning to set and saw the red glow reflecting off of her. She looked very pretty in that moment. "Y-Yes." he stuttered having been caught off guard. "Baaba was my closest cousin and last living relative. After she died I had no one but those at the palace to call family and eventually even those died off; Zeno has been alone for a long time."

"Was Yona his last reincarnation?" she inquired as she helped him lay out the sheets and blankets on the futon matresses.

Zeno sat on his bed as she sat on her across from him. Thinking back he found that he couldn't really remember. "I-I don't know. That is..." he began as he looked off into space trying to recall.

"Your memories are being affected." she announced. "I wonder when mine will begin to be affected?"

Zeno blinked at her. "Maybe they have and you don't know it." he pointed out.

"Its possible." she said before looking down at herself and then asking. "Am I really too thin?"

Not having expected that question, Zeno snorted a laugh. Upon shaking his head, he answered her. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, correct?" he asked causing her to not. "In this era the women were...meatier. They weren't vain or as vain as your era. A thin woman meant she came from a drought affected area or that she wasn't that great of a cook. Thicker women are more prized because it means they can cook better." he chuckled. "It was also thought that bigger women could give more children than thinner ones." he laughed at her look of shock upon his answering her.

"People are odd." she announced. "To think such things." she shook her head.

"Zeno's wife Kaya was neither thin or thick. She was both and she was lovely in Zeno's eyes." he told her as he remembered Kaya. "If Zeno could go anywhere in time, it would be to see her one more time." he said with a dreamy expression upon his face.

Ora watched his face as he thought about his wife. "Do you want to?" she inquired. "After we set things right with Yona, we could-"

Zeno smiled softly at her. "No." he said with a shake of his head. "Zeno neither remembers when nor where she is, so there is no point." He gave her a bright smile. "She was reborn. A thousand years ago Zeno saw her. She was a nurse." he chuckled. "She had a feeling of deja vu with Zeno when we met again." he looked towards the window as the darkness settled in for the night. "We spent twenty years together before she died in her sleep. A clot had formed during the night and went to her brain. She died instantly. No pain that time."

"I'm sorry." Ora said feeling her heart ache for him.

Zeno shook his head. "It's okay." Zeno then stood up. "I'm going to go look for some food. I'll be back." he went to the door to leave.

"Okay." Ora said softly as she watched him leave. She hadn't known Zeno had been married. She assumed that he hadn't been, but now... _Poor Zeno. He's had to live passed everyone in his life. It's a wonder he hasn't gone crazy with loneliness._ She couldn't imagine going hundreds of years without any companionship, then only have a few decades to be with people you saw as your family and then watch them die. _It's torturous!_ She realized. _Why would he willingly do this?_ Then the answer hit her. "Because he has no choice." Suddenly she felt very sad for her new friend and made a decision. _I'll ask him to stay with me after all of this. Perhaps he could help me take the company into a different direction. Messing with time is just too dangerous. I'll have to lock the TDD away and hide all the files away in a vault somewhere._ She nodded at her thoughts before she laid down upon her bed and waited for Zeno to return.

* * *

 

Zeno hadn't meant to reveal so much to Ora about his past, but found that once he had begun, he couldn't stop talking to her. It was simple as to why. When he had first met her all those years ago, he had recognized her for who she was, or had been. Kaya, his wife had been reborn several times and each time their paths met. Four times he had met her, and each time he had looked for her name. Ora Tomoe was Kaya's fourth reincarnation and it felt wonderful to meet her in this form. She was so smart! He'd always know it and now he had seen the proof, but as fate would have it, she was also responsible for the condition things were in.

 _Zeno needs to get his head out of the clouds._ He thought to himself as he took both hands and smacked his cheeks. _Right! Food!_ He thought as he took of towards the tavern that was down the way from the inn. Upon walking into the place he froze upon seeing them; Guen and Shuten. The white haired Hakuryuu and green haired Ryokuryuu both looked so much older than he remembered. Wrinkles around the eyes and some on their necks. They had scars that littered their arms. Both looked to having a great time, as they clanked their cups together and ordered drinks for everyone in the tavern.

Taking a deep breath, he just hoped neither would see him amongst the throng of people. _I don't recall ever going out with them to the taverns. I usually was with the King or Abi, though I do have memories of telling stories to the Miss_. He smiled at those memories.

_One more Uncle Zeno! she would yell gleefully._

Zeno made it to the bar without being noticed by his brothers on the other side of the tavern who were singing out of tune and laughing the whole time. He chuckled as he listened to them and flinched as they both hit sour notes in the song. The barkeeper looked surprised to see him. "What can I do for you Lord Ouryuu?" he inquired

Zeno noticed how tired the man looked. "Two bowls of meat with vegetables over rice." he said knowing it was one thing most taverns served freely.

The man chuckled. "Is it for those two?" he flinched as another sour note was hit.

Zeno laughed. "Sorry for my brothers." he apologized to the man who waved his hand at him.

"Don't, they're harmless..." he winced as the tone went too high. "Mostly."

Zeno gave a hearty laugh as Ryokuryuu Shuten slammed his cup down and pulled a barmaid to him and kissed her, only to get slapped by the woman and yelled at by one of the men. "Uh-oh." Zeno muttered as the two ended up out in the street after threats were made.

"Tell King Hiryuu I'll send him the bill if those two break anything." the man threatened as he handed Zeno two large bowls.

"Put it on their tab." Zeno told the man who nodded as the youngest warrior left with the food in his hands.

Outside Shuten chuckled as he took down the young man he had supposedly challenged by kissing his betrothed. Guen wrapped a hand over his shoulder. "Perhaps we should leave." he said, sounding a bit sloshed.

"You can't hold it like you use to." Shuten laughed at Guen's scrunched up face of disgust. "Its true!" he laughed when he suddenly saw something out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head he witnessed Zeno vanishing into an inn. "Zeno was staying with the King tonight, right?" he inquired.

"Uh, yeah." Guen said with a bit of a slur. "I need to sit down."

"Don't up-chuck." Shuten told him gaining an annoyed look. "I'll be back." he went off to see if he could see what Zeno was up to.

* * *

 

Zeno knocked on the door to his and Ora's room but got no answer. Sitting a bowl down he opened the door then picked the bowl back up. After closing the door he turned in time to see that Ora was sleeping. Chuckling, he placed the food down and then went to wake her up. "Ora." he whispered her name as he gave her a gentle shake.

"Hmm..." she hummed lightly as she opened her eyes.

Zeno flushed at the proximity of their faces before he sat back and handed her a bowl. "It's stew over rice." he told her as she looked at the bowl.

"Uh... she began as she looked at the meat questionably.

He began to laugh. Taking a bite from his own bowl, it took him a moment to tell her what kind of meat it was. "Stag or venison." he announced. "It's usually easiest for people to catch.

Ora sighed but decided not to make a big deal about it. Taking a bite, she found that the meat gave the stew a rich taste. "It's good." she said softly.

"Lad use to make the best venison stew." he mumbled offhandedly.

"Who?" she inquired with a clock of an eyebrow.

"Yun." he clarified. "He had a kind heart. Was a wonderful cook and caretaker."

"He was a friend." Ora said, realizing it from the way he spoke about the man.

"He was." Zeno nodded as he finished his meal. Looking up he saw a flash of green vanish and frowned. "We should get some sleep."

* * *

 

Shuten appeared next to Guen who had his head between his legs. "You okay old timer?"

"I'm not old!" Guen suddenly yelled at him, which gained a smirk from his brother.

"Found Zeno." he pointed at the inn behind them. "I think I figured out why he vanishes every so often." he helped Guen stand back up.

"No jumping." Guen growled before looking at Shuten. "So why does he vanish?" he inquired.

Shuten's smirk turned into a full blown smile. "Zeno is interested in a girl and he's got her in there." he laughed at Guen's shocked look.

"I'm not having the talk with him." Guen said suddenly.

"Neither am I!" Shuten yelled at him."We'll con Abi into it." he said.

"Didn't we do that when Hiryuu got married?" Guen inquired as he walked sluggishly next to Shuten who chuckled. "He'll say no."

"That's why I said we'd con him." Shuten said. "Take a deep breath."

"Huh?" Guen inquired before suddenly they were airborne. "SHUTEN!" could be heard throughout the night.

* * *

 

When morning came around Ora found herself alone in the room with a note beside her. Opening the paper, she saw Zeno's handwriting on it.

_Gone to the palace. Be back soon. Don't leave the room._

_Zeno_

Sighing, Ora groaned as she began stretching out from sleeping all curled up. Surprisingly she had slept wonderfully, but now she was all stiff from having been laying in one position all night long. Once she had all the cricks out of her joints, she began looking outside. It was pouring rain in sheets. There was no way she'd go out in that. _Probably why Zeno told me to stay. He knew I wouldn't leave when it's raining cats and dogs._ Yawning she sat back down on her futon cot that she had yet to put away.

The rain was making her feel sluggish again. She could remember as a young girl when her grandfather would make hot chocolate milk on days like today and tell her stories of grand empires and epic battles that took place in history. It was her grandfather's love of history and the need to know more that had drawn her into this world, but now she wondered if maybe it was something that never should have been.

It was late afternoon when Zeno came back soping wet from head to toe. "They're going to the hot springs in the water tribe. Hiryuu's taking the miss." he told her as she grabbed blankets to dry him off with. Zeno laughed at her attempt to dry him off. "Zeno is fine. I won't get sick." he assured her.

Ora blinked. "Of course." she said absently. "You're the eternal dragon, I keep forgetting what that means."

Zeno grasped her hands that were holding the soaked blanket around him. "Zeno - I appreciate the gesture." he assured her. "You're very kind to me Ora."

Ora smiled. "I can't help it." she told him. "You're just so sweet. I want to-"

"Keep Zeno safe?" he finished for her with a smile. "It happens." he grinned at her causing her cheeks to flush. "When we are done, Ze-I have something that I need to tell you." Ora nodded. "Come on!" he yelled. "We don't have time to waste."

"But the room!" she cried out only for Zeno to laugh.

"Baaba will take care of it." he yelled as they ran out of the building. A wagon was waiting for them. He helped her into the back and looked at the driver. "Let's go." he yelled happily.

"Where does this go?" Ora inquired as she sat against the wooden frame of the covered wagon.

"Bah-nai." Zeno told her. "The home of the best hot springs in all of the water tribe." he smiled. "It no longer exists in our time, but that's because of war. You'll see. It's beautiful there."

Ora watched Zeno's face light up with excitement and could help but smile at him as she realized as to how much fun the Ouryuu was having. _It's probably the best thing that's happened to him, while at the same time the worst because of Princess Yona's disappearance_. She thought as the wagon rocked back and forth as they moved along the road. She looked at the portable TDD. _I just hope we make it in time, otherwise we will be stuck in the past and things will inevitably become worse than they are. We have three days left_. She looked out at the road as the city of Kuuto vanished over the hills. _Hopefully we will make it with time to spare._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Yay, I was able to put out another chapter today. <3


	12. Good-bye Too Soon

  **Chapter 12** :  _Good-bye Too Soon_

* * *

 

Ora had heard of Bah-nai. The city was built near an extinct volcano, but the hot spring always indicated that there was some activity. _Too bad it'll be destroyed like Pompeii_. she thought as children ran around with smiles upon their faces, oblivious of the danger under their feet. The wagon suddenly came to a stop, giving Ora a slight jerk back to reality and out of her thoughts. "Do you know where they went?" she asked Zeno as he helped her out of the wagon without hurting herself.

"Zen-I know where to go." he said correcting his speech pattern. "It's not far."

Nodding, Ora followed him through the throng of people that were gathered in the streets. "Is it always like this?" she asked as she felt Zeno grasp her hand and pull her along behind him.

"Before it's destruction, a thousand years from now, Bah-nai was a very busy, hectic town." he told her. "It was what we'd call a tourist destination." he looked back at her, causing her cheeks to flush. "Bah-nai was also considered the most romantic town in Kouka due to the Di'lose, a flower that only grew in the area."

"Doesn't it still?" she asked as he pulled her towards a building.

"Nope." he said quickly. "When it exploded, Bah-nai and all the natural features were destroyed." he smiled at her as they entered the building, an inn with a youth as the attendant at the front. "A lake now covers it and is nearly one hundred and fifty feet to the bottom at the deepest point, it's also quite warm at the center of the lake because of the volcanic vents." he then turned his attention to the lad at the front who smiled at him.

"Lord Ouryuu!" the boy exclaimed at seeing the yellow haired man once again. "Is there something I can do for you? Does his majesty need something?"

Zeno laughed lightly. "I kind of forgot which room I was put in and got lost." he explained.

The youth chuckled. "Happens to me all the time." he said. "I've told uncle we need to put up signs, but with so few knowing how to read, he doesn't see the point of them." he then took notice of Ora. "Who is-"

"This is my friend, I met her outside and thought I'd introduce her to the others." Zeno said quickly, knowing exactly what the youth was about to say.

"Ah, I understand." the young man nodded. "I'll show you where to go." The young man led them both through the halls and into an expensive looking room. He then left them be, after all, it was not his business what Ouryuu Zeno did or who he spent his time with.

"This seems too easy." Ora mumbled quietly gaining a chuckle from Zeno.

"This is an era where people trusted, but also kept an eye on strangers." he looked at her, his eyes twinkling. "As long as you are friendly, but don't act suspicious, nobody will think anything of you." Ora nodded as Zeno began looking around the other rooms in the apartment, but fond that everybody was thankfully gone. "This way." he told her as he led her to the springs.

The walkways were thankfully empty, as it was still drizzling outside. Suddenly Zeno grasped her hand and pulled her to the side against one of the outer buildings as he heard himself. "I'll go help the Miss." his younger self ran from the building, only to re-enter from the other side. Placing a finger to his lips, he received a nod from Ora that she'd be quiet as he suddenly turned away and left.

* * *

 

Ora stood by the building's side waiting for Zeno. _I can't believe how easy this has been._ she thought as she looked up at the grey sky. She could hear Zeno talking to King Hiryuu. _Of course he'd want to see him, perhaps tell him what's going on_. Looking off towards the other outer buildings, Ora could see table set up for people to sit on, benches and other miscellaneous items; but because of the rain nobody was out. She then heard Zeno's voice again, but it wasn't her Zeno's voice; instead it was lighter.

"I'll be right back!" he exclaimed before running passed Ora without ever noticing her.

Ora, on the other hand, noticed how much lighter Zeno's steps seemed to be and how his smile seemed to reach his eyes. He doesn't smile like that anymore. She noted. _Could it be because of the harsh life he's had to live?_ She thought as she waited a bit longer for her Zeno to return.

* * *

 

Zeno entered the other side of the building after leaving Hiryuu alone. Shuten looked up at him. "You changed fast." he commented.

Zeno pushed his emotions down at seeing his first Ryokuryuu brother again. "I said I'd be back." he told Shuten.

"Heh..." Shuten scoffed. "You've never been that fast before." he said as he finished dressing Yona.

"Uncle Shu!" she yelled as she held up her arms to be held. Zeno moved quickly and picked her up, causing Yona to squeal in delight. "Zeno!" she yelled his name with laughter in her voice.

"For a six year old, she makes so much noise." Shuten grumbled as he began looking for his clothes.

"I'll take her back to the room." Zeno stated, hoping to get out of the room before his younger self came back. Shuten wasn't kidding about him being slow when it came to changing.

"Hey kid," Zeno paused at Shuten speaking. "You do know he's getting worse, right?" he waited for Zeno to speak.

"He won't die yet." Zeno told him. But he will get weaker. he thought sadly.

Shuten gave a deep sad sigh. "Yeah, but he is going to." his voice sad, making Zeno's heart thud oddly.

Nodding, he quickly left Shuten to get dressed and hoped they would escape before Abi's eyes caught them. Finding Ora waiting for him, Zeno moved at a brisk pace. He suddenly heard fast footsteps coming from ahead of them. Grasping Ora's wrist he pulled her into a thankfully empty room. Zeno cracked the door open and watched his younger self rush passed them. Looking at Ora, he saw her looking amused at him. "What?" he ask.

Ora chuckled. "I'm beginning to think you've done this before." she stated as she crossed the room.

"Eh?" he questioned her gaining a giggle from Yona.

"Zeno, who is she?" she asked as she pointed a finger at Ora.

Zeno smiled at the tiny little girl. "Ora is Zeno's friend." he told her, because in all reality, it was the truth. "We are going somewhere." he announced, causing Yona to look at him excitedly.

"Is Daddy coming?" she inquired happily.

Zeno shook his head no. "I'm afraid not." he said. "I'm returning you to where you belong." he told her causing her to look at him with confusion. "You may not know it, but you'll be safe. The person we are taking you too is a priest. He's a bit clumsy, so you'll have to watch over him. Okay?"

"Why can't Daddy come too?" she inquired, her eyes showing that she was smarter than he knew, but was having a hard time understanding why her father couldn't come.

"Because he can't." Zeno told her firmly. "One day, I promise, you'll understand."

Yona took a deep breath. "Okay." she said not quite understanding, but trusting Zeno with everything. Wrapping her arms around his neck she kissed his cheek. "I trust you Uncle Zeno." she said with the cutest and most innocent look upon her face causing Zeno to feel himself melting.

It really had been a long time since he was near Hiryuu's spirit. She was truly the essence of his innocence. Looking at Ora he gave her a nod. Bringing up the device, Ora activated the portal. Zeno saw the black hole and quickly rushed off to leave, just as he heard Abi's voice behind him and vanished from that era and into the timestream.

* * *

 

Abi and Guen couldn't believe what they were hearing from Hiryuu. Leave their king? Never! "We don't want to leave your side!" he cried out, tears forming in his eyes. He felt his legs give way, "Please, don't make me leave your side your majesty." He begged, he never begged in his entire life!

Abi felt hands touch his shoulders and pull him into Hiryuu's arms. He lost it, crying against his King's chest. Gripping his robes with his hands. "I'm sorry Abi." Hiryuu whispered into his ear. "My precious Seiryuu. You've always been the sensitive one of the group."

"Shut up." his voice was muffled against the King's chest still As his body was wracked from crying.

Hiryuu smiled as he laid his cheek against the top of Abi's head. "I promise to come back, but this body is weakening and soon it will pass away." he pulled away only to stand and touch Guen's shoulder. "You have been with me the longest." he saw the tears wanting to fall from his eyes as well. "You were my first friend, my defender against a thousand enemies and when you took up the role of Hakuryuu, you became the strength that was needed to bind everyone together."

Guen hugged Hiryuu. "Don't make us go yet. Let us stay until you leave." he pleaded with his long time friend and sovereign.

Hiryuu pulled away, and cupped his face. "Go take your wives, find a safe place to live and build a village." he looked down at Abi who was still emotionally wrecked. "Teach your children what you have learn of your time with me. Then when I return, we will be a family once more."

"Who's going to tell Zeno and Shuten?" Guen inquired.

"Shuten will be easy to tell." Abi stated with a roll of his eyes.

"Promise me one thing," Hiryuu began causing both to look at him. "Do not lose contact with each other." Both men seemed surprised by this request. "The four of you are family. Your children will need each other in the future, so please do not be hidden away from each other."

Guen laughed. "No problem!" he shouted. "I'm the big brother, so I'll make sure the others keep in contact."

"What about Zeno?" Shuten inquired. "How do we tell him this?"

Hiryuu sighed. "I must return with him and explain to Yak-shi and the council what is going on. It'll be Zeno's decision whether he stays after my death or not." Hiryuu said this just ask he began to feel a weakness in his body. Sitting down he heard them ask one more thing.

"What happens to Yona?" Guen inquired.

"She'll come with me." Abi said smugly.

Guen glared at him. "Why you?!" He demanded.

"Because she likes me the best." Abi stated with a rare grin, his tears finally drying up.

"Uh," Hiryuu began tiredly. "She's returning to where she belongs." This caused both men to look at him in shock.

Abi suddenly stood up and left the building for the pouring rain. "That's just not fair." he heard Guen say. Allowing his eyes to scan the area, Abi found himself running passed Zeno, never hearing the younger man yell after him. His eyes scanning the rooms, coming up empty until he saw a second Zeno. This caused his eyes to widen. Pushing the door open, he yelled out to the Zeno look-a-like as the man stepped into black orb. "Stop!" Suddenly both vanished, leaving Abi grasping at air, his mouth hanging open in shock when he suddenly collapsed to his knees. She was gone and soon so would his king. _Why?_ he wondered. _Why do we have to say good-bye to both of them?_ Tears began to once again form and soon fell from his eyes. Once again he felt arms grasp him, this time them belonging to Zeno. Not caring, Seiryuu Abi cried against his youngest brother's shoulder. Fate was too cruel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: After almost a month, I finally updated this story. I only have ten chapters left to it; I think.


	13. The Return

**Chapter 13** : _The Return_

* * *

 

As soon as Ora stepped out of the time-stream with Zeno she took notice how the little red haired princess was playing with Zeno's face and could repress the giggle coming out. Yona grasped Zeno's cheeks and pulled them to the point his face was turning comical. Zeno pull Yona's hands off of his face, only for her grasp her hair and begin pulling. Ora put her hand over her lips to stop the laughter, but it was to no avail. Zeno put Yona on the ground before pulling, gently, her hands out of his hair. "Miss, that hurt Zeno." he told her.

Big bright violet eyes looked up at him before she gave a giggle. "But brother Ouryuu always plays with me." she told him with all the innocence in the world in her voice.

It was just too cute and she just couldn't resist, so Ora went over to them and picked Yona up. "You're just so cute!" she squealed. "But you're hurting Zeno when you do that. You don't want to hurt him, do you?"

Yona pouted. "No." she said sadly. Turning towards Zeno, Yona spoke sincerely to him. "I'm sorry Zeno."

"I forgive you Miss." he told her before touching her cheek. Looking up at Ora, Zeno could see some qualities from Kaya sneaking through and smirked as Ora held Yona close.

"So now we find the other you?" Ora asked him causing Zeno nod.

"Uh..." he scratched his cheek trying to recall where he was in this time before a memory sprung up of him and Jae-ha talking when the young Ryokuryuu warrior was young. "Ik-su." he muttered causing Ora to look at him after fixing Yona's pretty pink obi that was around her waist. The little girl giggled as she took Ora's hand.

"Who?" she asked as they began walking down the road. Yona taking Zeno's hand with her free one and smiled as she walked between the two. Bouncing with sheer giddiness for no reason at all.

"Ik-su was or is a priest who was kicked out of the temple near Hiryuu Castle by Lord Yu-hon because he believed priests had too much control." he shook his head. "The true reason was the prophesy given during her first day of life. It scared him that his father King Joo-nam believed that a young girl was the reincarnation of the once King Hiryuu." They continued on the main road until Zeno saw signs ahead of them. "We go there, then we travel the road towards the canyon between the fire and wind. The canyon is where Ik-su is and where Zeno and his brothers will be." he looked at Ora. "I cannot be seen by them, so you'll have to explain things to myself and the others."

Ora looked at the sign as the passed it. Her old Koukan was a bit rusty from her language classes, but if she was right, the sign said they were headed towards the old city called Fuuga. In the future, Fuuga had been destroyed during a world war that had encompassed most of the country. A huge crater now stood where the once populated city of Fuuga was. Hundreds of thousands had died that day. The war had ended fifty years before she'd been born, but it had left scars on Kouka that would take centuries to undo.

As they walked the road to the wind capital, Zeno told Ora about the era that would come in the next hundred years. Of the peace and prosperity that would come from the Emperor that would be born. The question was now, would That same future occur now that Yona was back or would it change completely?

As it turned out, they had appeared closer to the wind territory than the sky territory, which was a plus because that meant they wouldn't have to travel too far to get to the capital; however, it still took them a full day and a half to get to Fuuga. Thankfully there was a festival going on, so the guards were laxed and the people weren't being very observant. They were able to get into the city without any problems and found a place to stay for the day. The inn was small and was located about half way through the city.

As soon as Zeno finished making the futon beds, Yona jumped onto one and curled up on it for a short nap. Ora noticed how Zeno yawned and laid down next to the red haired child. "I'll check the city out to see what's going on." she told him.

"Stay close." he mumbled tiredly.

Frowning Ora wondered why he'd say that. "I won't go too far." she assured him as she closed the door and left him to sleep.

* * *

 

Walking around the city for an hour, Ora found herself fascinated with how the people here seemed so happy. She had always read how the people of the wind were always happy and knew how to throw parties. They were also a trump card because of their lax way of life, people took them for lazy people; but it was the wind that could break or keep the nation strong. Their people were considered the strongest, fastest and were known for coming up with ingenious ways of defeating their enemies. She'd read once that there had been a young boy who'd been adopted by the chief as his grandson and this boy became the strongest warrior that the wind had ever had. He had been so fast and strong that he'd gained the nickname raiju in a tournament.

 _I wonder if that boy is in this era or another?_ she wondered as she continued to walk around the city until she came to the river that ran next to the city. The view from where she was, was very nice. The air here smelled so much better than in her time. _Of course it does._ she chided herself. _There is no pollution in this time. No cars or factories that are spew emissions into the air._

Suddenly Ora heard someone fall near her. Turning her head she saw a black haired boy wearing feathers in a headband on the ground. Rubbing his knee, she saw that he had fallen out of the tree above her. "Are you okay?" she asked him causing the boy to look up at her.

"Yeah." he said with a light flush on his cheeks.

The boy looked to be a year or two older than Yona. It was then that she saw he was bleeding slightly. "You're bleeding. Let's go take care of that." she told him. Holding out her hand, which he grasped onto, she took him back into the city. She returned to the inn where she'd left Zeno with Yona. As she walked into the room, she saw that Yona had migrated from one bed to laying on top of Zeno who was sleeping on his stomach.

She heard a snort behind her. Looking down at the boy, he commented. "That's an odd way to sleep."

Ora chuckled quietly. "True." she agreed with him as she poured some water from a pitcher into a basin. Dipping a rag into the bowl, she then wiped the blood from the child's leg. He never cried out in pain or teared up. He winced, but otherwise made no sound. Ora then took some bandages from her messenger bag that she'd been carrying around and put them on his leg. "There. All done." she smiled up at him.

The boy looked from the bandage to her. "That's it?" he asked, obviously having been expecting something worse. "No wraps?"

Ora chuckled. "Nope." she said as she stood up. "You can take that off in a day or two." she told him. Just as she was about to stand Yona woke up and looked at her.

"Ora!" she cried out happily. Wiggling off Zeno's back, she ran over to her and gave Ora a hug. That was when she noticed the boy. "Who is that?" she asked Ora, her voice was filled with curiosity.

"I'm Hak." the boy told her as he looked Yona over. "You're hair sure is red."

Yona giggled. "Yours is black." she told him matter-of-factly. Holding out her hand, she introduced herself. "I'm Yona."

Hak took her hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you." he said. "You wanna go play?"

Yona looked up at Ora. "As long as I can see you." she told them.

"I'll keep her safe." Hak told Ora with a very serious tone that had Ora smiling at him.

"I'm sure you will." she told him causing Hak's eyes to light up with excitement. "But Yona is a special little girl. I'm keeping her safe myself, so I have to keep her in sight."

Hak pursed his lips as his face took on one of deep thought. "We can play in front of gramp's home. It's up the hill away from the celebration." Hak smiled at this cause he knew it was the perfect place that would allow him to get to know this strange red haired girl.

"Alright, but I'm coming with you." Ora stated causing Hak to nod at her. The trio then left the room, leaving Zeno behind to catch up on his sleep.

* * *

 

Zeno's eyes slowly opened. He knew he'd slept a long time due to the sun's position in the sky. Perhaps two hours at the most. Feeling the bed next to him, he found it empty. Panic set in instantly. "Miss?" he called out thinking she was playing a game with him, but there was no answer. Standing quickly, Zeno left the room and began searching the inn for Yona, but came up empty. Quickly running out into the street he found that she wasn't playing in front of the inn with any of the other children that he could see.

Panic was quickly setting in as Zeno began searching the city. He then noticed that he hadn't come across Ora either. It was possible that Ora had Yona with her, but he was certain he would've woken up to either making noise in the room.

Zeno searched everywhere, but couldn't find them. He was close to tears when he spotted red hair in the crowd. Running after it, Zeno came to a stop when he saw a black haired boy next to Yona, sitting by a fountain with Ora giving both children some dango. Zeno came up behind Ora and gave her a hug. "Zeno missed you." he announced not wanting to scare her.

Yona giggled. "Zeno!" she cried out. "I made a friend!" she told him causing Zeno to look at the young boy who flushed as Yona hugged him.

"Mister seems nice." he said, knowing he'd met this boy before but couldn't place it.

"Hak is a very nice young man." Ora agreed with a nod as she handed Zeno a dango stick.

Zeno blinked. _Hak?_ he thought of that name before a memory of a young man fighting against the current earth general came to the front of his mind. "Son Hak?" Zeno inquired from the boy.

Hak sighed. "Yeah. That's the name gramps gave me." he spoke as if it was a real pain to admit that, that was his name.

"I've met Son Mundok once." Zeno told him. "Nice man, but seems to have a scary side too."

"You have no idea." Hak stated with annoyance in his tone. "I've gotta go." he looked at Yona. "It was nice to meet you. If you're here long, come find me and we'll have fun again." he then took off running through the crowds.

Zeno smiled at this. If he recalled Son Hak was destined to become the next wind general and would be considered the strongest warrior in Kouka. "Mister has a bright future ahead of him." he then frowned. "We should leave tonight."

Ora looked up at him with surprise. "Why?" she asked as he picked Yona up, the little girl seeming to not mind being held by him again.

"Because, Zeno doesn't think Mister won't stop himself talking about the Miss to Son Mundok who is both the chief and general of the wind tribe." Zeno told her as he led her back to the inn where they packed their things and left Fuuga just as the sun was setting over the horizon.

* * *

 

Old tired steps could be heard by Hak as he waited for Mundok to come into his room and check on him before Hak went to bed. Truthfully Hak was exhausted from chasing and being chased by Yona most of the afternoon. He rarely played with girls, but for some reason he'd wanted to play with her. Hak looked up as his gramps came into the room. "You look tired this evening." Mundok commented as he stood over Hak as the boy laid down. "Did you play with Tae-woo today?"

Hak had made friends with the other boy who was a year younger than himself a few weeks ago. "No." he said. "The festival brings all sorts of people to town." he said. "I met a girl and we played around the manor while you were gone today."

"Oh?" Mundok raised an eyebrow. "Should I make engagement arrangements with her parents?" he was only half joking. If the girl came from a good family, he'd be seriously tempted into making an offer of feature marriage between Hak and the girl.

Hak snorted. "I doubt I'll see her again." he then smiled as he recalled how red her hair had been. "I've never seen hair like hers."

Mundok paused as he went to blow the lantern out. "What was so different about her hair?" he inquired.

Hak yawned as he turned on his side. "It was red." he told Mundok causing the older man's good eye to widen. "She had pretty violet eyes too; but her hair was red like....the dawn."

"Hak?" Mundok said his name questioningly. "Where is she now?"

"Hmm... Shi-tae's inn." he mumbled quietly as he fell asleep as soon as the light was blown out of the lantern. Unknown to him the next moment his grandfather had gathered together a dozen men and headed towards the inn to find the red haired girl and if she wasn't there, he'd question the innkeeper for it sounded as if the young Princess Yona had finally returned from wherever she'd been. Time was ticking for them and the five year old princess as King Joo-nam was soon to die and without an heir, Prince Il wound advocate the throne to his brother Yu-hon. Many feared his accession would bring war to Kouka and though many would march next to him, there were many who feared what his rule would bring to Kouka.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Finally took a moment to sit down and write a chapter for this story. I hope everybody enjoyed it. ^_^


	14. Priestly Visions

**Chapter 14** : _Preistly Visions_

* * *

 

Jae-ha yawned as he stretched out in the limbs of the giant tree with bright pink leaves that would turn green as the seasons turned. His back was against the trunk of the tree, as his left leg dangled and his right leg rested on the limb itself. It was a lazy spring day and he really didn't have any plans on moving much today. The limb he was on was forty feet in the air and stretched out over the nearby waterfall. Below him Kija had fallen asleep reading a book as Seiryuu practiced his sword play. Zeno was sitting next to Ik-su as the new kid Yun ran around their cabin cleaning it.

Looking up into the early morning sky, Jae-ha wondered what it would have been like to have that master of his around. Zeno spoke with such devotion and love for Hiryuu. He told them all the truth, that he was the first Ouryuu; the only Ouryuu. He talked about Abi, the first Seiryuu to the current. Told him how Abi didn't hide his eyes until the very end when he'd been captured by evil men. Told Kija how Guen was a warrior before he'd become the Hakuryuu. How he was a general, the founder of the earth tribe and how he'd had two wives before leaving Kuuto to found the Hakuryuu village. Jae-ha loved hearing stories about Shuten though. He'd been a liberator of slaves, a former slave himself, he'd risen above all others and had fought for Hiryuu with all his heart. A free spirited man, Shuten had never stayed in one place, but had moved around a lot in the wind tribe that he'd founded.

The stories of their ancestors made Jae-ha curious. He wondered if there had been other Ryokuryuu villages, other than the one he'd come from. _Is there a history to my past that even Zeno doesn't know?_

Closing his eyes, Jae-ha let his other senses wonder. In this case, his hearing caught the words of the former priest and Zeno. "I dreamt of a woman coming out of a dark hole with a red haired child in her arms." Ik-su stated. "She was followed by one who looked like yourself, but you seemed...wiser. Perhaps older?"

Zeno looked at the priest with wide eyes. "Could it be Zeno finds her and brings the Miss back?" he asked.

"You said she was taken by those coming from the future." Ik-su commented. "Are there those there that would help you return her?"

"Perhaps." Zeno stated softly, thinking of Ora. He'd promised her that he'd find her in the future. Did this mean he'd kept the promise?

Jae-ha frowned at these words. "It doesn't matter." he mumbled to himself, but deep inside of him the dragon within cried at the chance at being of use.

"BUGS!" Kija suddenly cried out as he quickly sat up. Looking around he saw that he had been laying against the tree above him. Checking his person, he patted down the plain blue yukata he wore before sighing at not finding any bugs on his person.

Jae-ha smirked high above his white haired brother. The kid needed to calm down about those tiny critters or else he was going to die from stressing about nothing.

Seiryuu suddenly stopped moving. Losing his sword, he lifted his mask slightly. His voice was quiet and gentle as he spoke. "Somebody is coming." he alerted everyone.

Jae-ha jumped from the tree limb to the ground, a dagger in each hand. "How many?" he asked.

"Three." Security responded. "A dark haired woman carrying a red haired child." Everyone froze at the mention of the child. "And a man, who looks just like big brother Zeno."

Zeno stood up with bewilderment on his face. "This could get interesting." he said before grinning.

In Fuuga, General Mundok sat looking at a map of his tribe. Just a night ago they had missed finding Princess Yona. The search grounds had spread throughout the city, but alas, she was gone. Knowing she couldn't have been taken far, he sent out search parties going in all directions, but by morning all the search parties had returned, all but one. He glared at the area between the fire and wind. If the Princess was in that area, she could very well be in danger. It was no secret that Soo-jin supported Yu-hon. His fear was that the Princess would be found in the fire tribe and killed before she could be returned to her family in Kuuto.

 _Be safe Princess._ he thought as he prayed to the Kami to keep the small child safe for just a little while longer. _Stay safe. We **will** find you._ Standing, General Mundok left the manor to search the valley between the fire and wind. He would find her and bring her safely back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Sorry for such a short chapter this time around. I'll make it up in the next chapter. Promise!


	15. Dragon Family Reunited

**Chapter 15** : _Dragon Family Reunited_

* * *

 

Yona giggled as she swung herself between Ora and Zeno who held both her hands as she entertained herself while they walked through the valley. Zeno paused in walking, his feet coming to a stop by a stream. "This is where Lad and the priest live." he told Ora before he bent down to look into Yona's eyes. "You'll be going with Ora, but you'll see me soon."

"Where you going Zeno?" the five year old girl asked, her big round eyes looked at him.

He swallowed hard. This would be the last time he saw her. He knew that his time with her would be short, but it felt like it was too short; even if he did get spend her lifetime with her. "Zeno needs to make sure the path is clear for you Miss." he lied. Truthfully, he needed to stay as far away from his past self as possible. He didn't know if there would be horrible consequences if he met his past self; which was why he had avoided his past self before.

"Okay!" she said cheerfully. Turning Yona looked up at Ora. "Carry me?" she asked in such cute and sweet tone that had Ora squealing internally.

 _Cute!_ she thought to herself as a grin spread across her face. "No, you can walk." she told her even though she really want to pick her up.

Zeno shook his head as Ora led Yona over to the stream to look at some of the pretty shiny rocks as Zeno snuck away. _She'll make a good mother one day._ Zeno thought and found his cheeks heat up at that before he began grinning.

Yona giggled as she took her slippers off of her feet and began to splash in the water. Giggles flowed from her like a never-ending stream of water. Ora joining her, splashing and laughing. The little girl ran around in the ankle high water, having a grand time when suddenly she bumped into somebody. Ora came to a stop as she looked down at a little boy who's eyes were a bright golden color. He had red markings on his cheeks and bright aqua blue color hair.

Yona looked at the Boy. "Cute!" she squealed before grabbing him and giving him a giant hug.

Seiryuu's eyes felt like fire was burning behind them. He'd never felt such pain in his entire life! It made him want to cry out, but just as sudden as the pain had appeared ice took its place. His entire body felt cooled down as soon as the red haired girl had wrapped her arms around him.

"What's your name?" Yona asked the still silent boy. "I'm Yona." she told him as she swayed her dress as she moved slightly after letting him go.

"I...I'm...Seiryuu." he answered her with a cracked voice. _Why did I tell her that?_

Yona giggled. "Like Uncle Abi!" she cheered before grasping his hand. "But that's a title, not a name silly." she smiled as she tugged the barefoot boy into the water.

Seiryuu felt a cold chill run up his spine the moment he stepped into the water, but couldn't pull away as Yona pulled him behind her towards the dark haired woman.

Ora tried not to laugh as the bewildered boy was pulled behind Yona and she tugged him behind her as she began running around the stream, laughter once again coming from her as she Now had a friend to play with. As soon as Yona let the boy go, he ran to Ora and hid behind her from Yona. "Hello sweetie." she greeted the boy.

"Intense." he said as stared at Yona with wide eyes.

Ora giggled. "She can be." she agreed. "Can you help us?" she asked causing him to look up at her. "We're looking for a priest named Ik-su." Seiryuu cocked his head in the most adorable way causing Ora to really want to squeeze his cheeks. _Oh dear, I'm starting to think like my grandmother!_ She smiled down at the young boy.

"Who are you asking?" came a voice from on high. The green haired youth jumped down in front of Ora before taking up a defensive stance.

 _Are all these boys so adorable?_ she wondered as the smile on her face never wavered.

Suddenly Yona grasped the boy from around his leg causing him to look down at her, only for him to freeze up like he was in pain and fall backwards into the stream. Sweat appeared on the young teens face as he looked at the girl with wide eyes.

"Yay! More friends!" Yona giggled as she sat on the youths stomach. "I'm Yona, who are you?"

"Huh?" he asked sounding confused. "Y-You're alive?" Yona cocked her head at him. A laugh came out of him. "I'm Jae-ha." he said as he fell fully into the water. "I'm the one with Ryokuryuu in his right leg."

"Like Uncle Shuten!" she exclaimed happily before getting off of the boy and running up to Ora. "Ora, they're like Papa's friends." she jumped up and down excitedly.

"So I see." she said as Yona suddenly took off chasing Seiryuu once again. The poor boy seemed like he could take the cold water as he once again was pulled into it.

"Zeno told us that she was lost to time." Jae-ha spoke as he looked at Ora. "Are you one of them that took her?" he asked.

Ora shook her head. "No." she answered. "That was my father. I got injured trying to keep her safe." she absentmindedly touched the shoulder her father had shot her in, only days ago to her. "I came to return her to where she belongs." she told him. "She was lost in time and ended up in Hiryuu's era."

Jae-ha felt sweat drip down his neck. "You don't say." Not quite believing that explanation.

"Ora."

Ora turned around and saw Zeno, but not the Zeno she'd been with. "You kept your promise Zeno." she told him as she turned away from him. "And I kept mine."

Zeno looked beyond her and felt his emotions rise. "Missy." he spoke quietly and with awe in his tone. "I'll be sure to find you." he promised.

Ora smiled as she saw a young boy walk out next to Zeno with pure white hair and a clawed hand. She gave the boy a friendly smile. "Just be sure to return her to where she belongs. I'm certain you'll know how to do that." she told him before walking over to Yona. "Sweetie, Zeno is back." she pointed over towards where Zeno stood, the boy next to him was grasping his arm with grimace on his face as if in pain.

"Are you coming?" Yona asked curiously.

Ora saw a blond haired man stumble slightly out of the bushes and had to suppress a giggle as he fell over onto Zeno. "No honey. I've got to return home." she poked Yona's nose causing he girl to grin up at her.

"But I'll see you again, right?" she asked. "Because we're friends, right?"

Ora looked down at her sadly. "Sometimes people have to go away, far away and though we may never see each other again, you'll always be in my heart and memories." she told the little girl, who began to tear up.

"But I wanna have you here!" she cried as she hugged Ora. "I like you."

Ora smiled softly as she hugged the red haired child once more before she stood up and began to walk away. "Be a good girl." she patted Yona on the head.

"Ora!" Yona cried out only for Jae-ha to grasp her by the shoulders to stop her from following the woman. "Come back." Yona said softly as she began to cry softly.

* * *

 

Ora came out of the trees into the open and saw Zeno, her time's Zeno, waiting for her by some rocks. "Zeno remembers this day. Missy was very sad, but she recovers quickly." he told her as he pushed himself away from the rocks. Reaching out he wiped away her tears. "Can we go home now?" he inquired.

Ora gave a nod. "Yeah." she agreed as she pulled out her TDD as Zeno did the same thing. Linking the two devices together they opened the portal one more time and walked into the space between time.

As the dark orbed portal closed the wind general and his men rode along the boarder, never once noticing the dark orb below or how close they were to where the missing Princess Yona was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I may get this story finished by the end of this month yet! Only a few more chapters left!


	16. Returning to Kuuto

**Chapter 16** : _Returning to Kuuto_

* * *

 

Zeno watched the young Princess as she barely ate any of the food placed before her. He didn't think she fully understood that King Hiryuu Wasn't going to suddenly show up, of course that was mostly because she was his reincarnation. He still didn't understand how all of this worked, but he was so very thankful to have her back. She clung to both him and Jae-ha after Ora Tomoe had left, which he didn't mind; Jae-ha did. The younger boy, Yun, was glaring at her, which was just too cute in Zeno's mind and had the older dragon warrior smiling at the younger boy's cuteness.

Yona sniffled as she tried to take in that neither Uncle Shuten, Guen or Abi were anywhere to be seen and that her daddy wasn't coming to take her home, even after Zeno explained everything. She wanted to go home. She wanted to sleep in her own bed. Couldn't Zeno take her back now? Looking up at the boy who was glaring at her, Yona decided to quick picking at her food and eat it for now.

"Yun, stop scaring Princess Yona." Ik-su chastised the younger boy.

Blushing at being caught Yun, stuffed his mouth with another bite of warm soup and bit into the piece of bread in his hand. "'m not." he grumbled with a full mouth.

Ik-su smiled at the child he'd come to see as a little brother. "If you say so." he acquiesced to the boy's words and ignored him for a moment. Turning his attention towards Yona, he took notice how Seiryuu had moved himself the closest to her, while Kija sat across from her, his cheeks flushed at the close proximity of her. Jae-ha was finished eating and playing his Erhu, the calm tones giving them all a nice peaceful song to listen to when he was finished with the song he sat the instrument to the side.

"Shin-ah." everyone looked at Yona who was looking at Seiryuu. "Your name. It means moonlight. You remind me of the peaceful full moon that lights everything up in its path."

"Shin-ah." the golden eyed boy repeated before giving her a nod in acceptance. "Thank-you. Yona."

Everyone gave a gasp. "He said her name without a stutter." Yun said in amazement. "Or without a title."

"I told him he could call me Yona, just like Zeno calls me Miss or Missy." she explained to everyone, by now the blue haired boy's face was flushed red. Yona gave him a hug. "Shin-ah's my friend." she the giggled. "Just like Kija and Jae-ha and Yun too!"

Yun flushed at being brought into the conversation. "Zeno too! Zeno too!" the blond announced.

Everyone began to laugh at his joyful voice filling the room. "Yep. You too." Yona said with a bright smile.

Jae-ha sighed. _I'm surrounded by children._ he thought glumly. _I knew I should have left a week ago. Now I'm stuck with a child for a master._  He watched her hug Kija suddenly, the white haired boy blushing and throwing his arms around wildly in shock caused her to giggle. "Tch." he snorted. _I don't need her. I definitely don't need them._ Closing his eyes as he felt his heart constrict at these thoughts, he begun to rub his chest. Jae-ha wondered if he could sneak away without being noticed. He felt a sudden presence in front of him and opened his eyes in time to see Yona bending down over him.

"Night, night Jae-ha." she said giving him a hug around his neck and a kiss on his cheek that made the teens face heat up.

"Uh-huh." he replied back as he tried to calm his reaction down. _Damn dragon blood._ he thought as he watched Yona walk into the back of the hut where she and Yun would sleep.

* * *

 

Morning came early when Yona got up before everyone else and began to play near the stream she'd been playing in with Ora. She missed the raven haired woman; she was nice. She missed her daddy even more though. Feeling suddenly sad, Yona returned back to the hut only to find that she didn't know which way to go. Pouting a bit, Yona wondered around in the forest until she came to a waterfall. Sitting down in front of it, Yona pulled her legs up to her chest and began to cry silently to herself.

* * *

 

Jae-ha was up after hearing Yun's yells at Ik-su for falling over once again and ruining another pair of pants by ripping them. Of course the teen could've stayed in bed for awhile longer, but that would have led to the inevitable of being discovered to be awake by one of his brothers. Getting up, he headed outside to get his morning routine done with. When he returned from washing his face and emptying his bladder he saw that Kija, Zeno and newly named Shin-ah were looking around bushes and under the hut frantically. Looking towards Yun, he asked the four year old what was going on.

"Why does everybody keep asking me that!?" he yelled at the teen. "I'm a kid. I don't know nothing."

"Really?" Jae-ha inquired, gaining a nod from the four year old. "Then what are you doing?"

"Cooking." Yun answered quickly before glaring at Jae-ha. "Smart-ass."

Jae-ha chuckled at hearing the curse word from the younger boy before going over to Zeno. "You loose something Zeno?" he asked.

"Missy. Zeno Can't find her." he stated frantically.

"She isn't sleeping?" he asked gaining a quick shake of the head from the blond. Cursing internally, Jae-ha began to help look for her, but couldn't find her anywhere near the hut. Jumping into the sky, Jae-ha began his search for the young girl from the heavens. It didn't take him long to find her near the waterfalls. "Yona!" he yelled out her name causing the red haired girl to look up at him. It was then he saw that she'd been crying.

"Jae-ha!" she cried out as she ran over to him.

Picking her up, he did a quick inspection to find that she wasn't hurt. "Why didn't you come back to the hut?" he asked her as he jumped back into the air.

"I got lost." she stated with embarrassment. Sniffling, she snuggled into his tight embrace. "I wanna go home." she whispered sadly.

Jae-ha frowned a bit at those words. They were so full of sadness. When they arrived back at the hut, Yona apologized at making everyone worry, before going back into the hut and laying down.

* * *

 

By late afternoon the next day, Yona had yet to come out of the small hut. She apologized to them, but just stated she didn't feel like going outside. By evening, Jae-ha knew something was going on. He walked over her little room that she shared with Yun and found her curled up around the small boy who was still awake. Letting the sheet that separated the tiny room from the rest of the hut, Jae-ha walked over to Ik-su and Zeno who were the only ones still awake; besides Yun.

"I think we have to take a chance in returning Yona to Kuuto." he said causing both to look at him. "She's not doing well here."

Zeno sighed as he leaned forward upon his hands. "I know." he stated, forgoing his usual speech patterns. "She needs to understand that she can't call Hiryuu daddy though. Prince Il is her father and he is still alive."

"She's only a kid, she doesn't understand any of this." Jae-ha explained. "The castle is her home though."

"She'll be expecting Shuten, Abi and Guen to be there." Zeno told him. "Along with Yak-shi, Hiryuu's son."

Jae-ha was silent for a moment before he spoke once more. "I'll go with her." he told them. "I'll keep her from talking too much about where she's been."

Zeno shook his head. "Prince Il's older brother will kill you!" he exclaimed. "He hates the legend of the dragons."

"Well so do I!" Jae-ha yelled back, waking the other two from their sleep. "You think I like the fact that I have a green leg or hair. I have scales on my body for fucks sake! I'm not even human!" Zeno looked down at his hands with shame. "But Yona needs to be where she belongs and she doesn't belong in this damn gorge! She's a Princess! Not just a Princess, but the crowned Princess of Kouka!"

"Yes, Zeno knows this." the blond responded sadly.

"We're going too!" Kija piped in.

"No." Jae-ha and Zeno told them at the same time. The two looked at each other before looking back at the tired nine and six year olds.

"Shin-ah and I belong with her too!" Kija yelled at him, a frown upon his face as his cheeks heated up at yelling at his older sibling.

"Yona needs us." Shin-ah told the teen sincerely.

"I agree." Ik-su told them all. Having been silent throughout the entire conversation, the former priest finally found an opening in speaking his own thoughts on this subject. "The three younger ones should be the ones to take Yona back home, while Zeno watches over everything." he told them. "You three can claim to be orphans, which you are. That you are looking for your caretaker and she'll be recognized."

"Yu-hon-" Zeno began.

"Won't have a chance at harming three children who had become Yona's brothers over the course of the last several years of her life." he explained.

"It makes sense." Jae-ha said, quite amazed by Ik-su's words.

Zeno sighed. "I don't like it." he told them all.

Unknown to the entire group their plans had been heard by the little red haired girl and her bed companion. Yun looked at her. "You'll go home now." he whispered quietly to her.

 _But it won't be home._ she thought back to him. "Yun." she said his name quietly causing him to raise an eyebrow at her. "You come too?" she asked, her cheeks turning pink at the same time his did.

"I-I'll think about it." he mumbled. "Go to sleep now." Yona nodded before laying down, as she did Yona felt like everything was going to be alright as long as she had everybody with her. Closing her eyes she found herself drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 

The walk to Kuuto too a bit longer than Jae-ha thought it would, five days to be exact; but when they arrived a festival was occurring in the city. The main street was filled with venders and merchants trying to sell their wares. Jae-ha carried Yona upon his back as both Kija and Shin-ah held onto either side of him. Yun walked in front of the group with a bag on his shoulder. Looking around the group of children began to quickly feel overwhelmed. Finding a side street, the group bumped into sandy blond haired boy.

"Sorry!" Yun exclaimed in surprise.

"Yun," Yona giggled from her perch on Jae-ha's back. "don't yell."

Yun's cheeks flushed. "It's okay." the boy said waving it off. "Are you lost?" he asked them.

"Yeah," Jae-ha began as he decided to try out the lie on this boy. "You see, we are orphans and our caretaker brought us to the festival, but now we're lost and separated from her."

"Oh my!" the boy exclaimed. "I know someone who can help you." he told them with a wide grin. "Mr. Ogi is my friend. He helps me a lot."

"Nice, thanks kid." Jae-ha grinned as they followed the very happy looking boy.

"Everyone calls me Won." the boy told them. "Who are you?"

"I'm Kija." Kija pointed at himself. "These are my younger brothers, Shin-ah and Yun." he then pointed at Jae-ha. "He's our big brother, Jae-ha, who is carrying our little sister, Yona."

Won suddenly stumbled a bit. Yona? he covered up his stumble by walking a bit faster. "Yona, that's a pretty name." he said looking up at the little girl. Yona pushed the hood of her cloak back, her red hair brightly shining from the sunlight. Won's eyes widening in shock. It's her! he thought excitedly. It's gotta be! My cousin. She's alive! he smiled happily. "You really are pretty Miss Yona."

"T-Thank-you." Yona stuttered before laying her cheek upon Jae-ha's head.

As they walked up to a building in the alleyway, Won opened the door for them. Inside a group of men were talking and playing games upon tables. Jae-ha pulled Yona off his shoulders and sat her down on one of the tables where Won was talking to a man. "Mr. Ogi!"

"Go away Won." the man said as he placed a piece upon the game board.

Yona turned her attention to what he was doing and smiled. _He's playing GO like my uncle's like to do!_ she thought as a smile cross her face. Won looked over to her and was mesmerized by her smile. "You're gonna loose if you place it there." she warned him.

Ogi looked up from the board and saw the red haired child looking down at the game. _It can't be._ he thought before grasping her chin and looking into her eyes. _Violet eyes and red hair._ he thought. "And what do you know of GO?" he asked her.

"If you put your piece there, he can put his piece there." she said pointing at the pieces. "In three moves he will win."

Ogi released her chin before looking at the board. _Damn_. he thought. _She's right._ He smirked. "How old are you?" he inquired.

"Five!" she said proudly as she held up her hand at him.

He chuckled. _She's the right age._ he thought as he leaned back against the wall behind him. "Where did you learn GO?" he asked once more.

All four boys felt nervous about her answer. "Ora!" Yona lied. All four boys released a sigh in relief.

"Who is she?" he asked her, trying to pry something out of her. _Like where had she, the missing Princess Yona, has been?_

"Mommy?" she asked curiously before looking up at Jae-ha to take over.

"We're orphans." he explained. "Miss Ora took us in and has been raising us as our caretaker."

"Where?" Ogi inquired.

"In the wind tribe, between Vir'nar and Fuuga." he answered, having been to both he could name several people of both towns. "Won said you might be able to help us find her."

"Never heard of this Ora woman." he stated. "But I've been to Vir'nar and Fuuga. I suppose Mundok never met you five." he said looking at Yona. _Because he'd definitely recognize her._ He then looked at Won. "I'll need to talk to some people, but it seems you all may have been abandoned."

Jae-sighed. "I had a feeling we have been too much for her." he admitted. "Now what?"

"How long have you all been-" Ogi began.

"We're brothers!" Yun yelled, feeling annoyed by this guy's questions. "She's our sister, but I'm the youngest!"

"My, my..." he chuckled at the young boy. _Somebody is full of spirit._ "I'll talk to someone and we will find you all some place to stay." He looked at Won. "You, go home."

"Yes Mr. Ogi." Won said happily as he quickly left the back alley building and made his way to main street. "Lord Su-won!" he cringed at being found as a hand grasped his shoulder.

"Where have you been?" the man demanded.

Smiling happily Su-won, or Won to others, looked up at his friend and guardian, General Ju-doh. "Ju-doh!" he exclaimed. "I've been having fun, but I ran out of money. Can you get me some food?"

The older man sighed. "Let's just go back to the palace." he told the child. It was of no use to to argue with the boy after all.

"Sure." Su-won agreed, knowing things were about to get very interesting there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Yay, I finished this chapter and its longer than the last two combined! ^_^


	17. The Myths Are Real

**Chapter 17** : _The Myths Are Real_

* * *

 

Yona yawned as she laid in the bed that she'd been given by Mr. Ogi. Once again she and Yun were stuffed in the same room, mostly because Yun hadn't corrected Ogi when the man had assumed he was a girl. Of course the others had called him a boy earlier, so either the older man hadn't believed them or he was forgetful. Yona didn't mind though. It was like having an over protective little brother that was way too motherly for his own health.

 _I wonder how Jae-ha and the others are doing?_ she wondered as she pulled the blankets under her chin. _Kija seemed really worried about people seeing his claw and Shin-ah has been nervous since we entered the city._ Yona took a deep breath as she closed her eyes and tried very hard to shut down her brain for the night, but she couldn't help but be worried about her new brothers.

* * *

 

King Joo-nam was a cranky old man since the disappearance of his granddaughter. The old man was known to be a man of no remorse. His eldest was the same, but Prince Il was a kind man; a little too aloof in some things. When his son's daughter had been born, and with red hair no less, Joo-man had believed that it was a sign that King Hiryuu had returned and good fortune would come to his country. Then she'd been stolen in the night and now he was old and about to die. The army wanted his eldest as their new leader and the council wanted Il.

 _They want Il because he will be easy to manipulate since his wife's untimely death_. he thought as he shuffled his feet along the marble floors that lead towards the King's chambers. _If only Yona was still alive._ He looked up at the starry night and wondered what the Kami's plan had truly been for the child.

The sudden footsteps of a messenger was heard behind King Joo-nam. His bodyguards prepared to intercept the messenger, but he stopped them with a single hand rising up. "Your majesty." the messenger held out a scroll.

Taking the parchment, Joo-nam recognized the seal upon it. _The information broker?_ he wondered what that man possibly want at this time of night.

 ** _That which has been lost, has been found._ ** It read.

It didn't take a man of intelligence to understand that one lined message. _I see._ he mused with a smile. _So, she is alive._ He handed the message to his trusted bodyguard. "Destroy that." he ordered the older man.

"Yes sir." the guard walked over to a lantern and lit the parchment on fire.

Turning towards the messenger, the King stared at the youth. "Go back to your master and tell him to keep an eye on the precious cargo." he told him. "I will come to him personally and retrieve it in two days when I announce my heir."

"Yes your majesty!" the young man stood up quickly and took off through the secret tunnels that had brought him into the palace grounds.

* * *

 

A couple of days later, Yona was watching the city celebrate from the top of Jae-ha's shoulders as the others stood around the duo keeping an eye on things. Yun stood with his arms crossed over his chest. "Everybody is being loud and obnoxious." he stated.

Jae-ha chuckled, though it was Kija who spoke. "They're celebrating the ascension of the new ruler." he told the younger boy with a grin.

"I'm four, not stupid." Yun told the older boy with a frown. "All nobles are the same. They're put there in power to help us, the poor; but they get corrupted and think nothing about others and only themselves later on."

 _As young as that child is, he's quite perceptive._ Ogi thought as he looked towards one of his lookouts. _No sign of him yet._ He frowned at this. _Could there be trouble from the handover?_ He clicked his tongue against his cheek. _I may have to send them away._ He looked Yona over. Her bright violet eyes were wide with wonder and excitement as gypsies danced in the streets. As she began to giggle from Jae-ha's shoulders, Ogi spotted the older man he was expecting.

Walking up to the man, he grinned. "About time, Nam." he greeted the older looking man who looked nothing like the King he knew he was.

"I'm not as agile as I use to be." Nam told him as he turned his attention towards the group of children. His old eyes were not so old that they were blind. He saw the golden eyes and red marks of the blue haired child. The clawed hand of the white haired boy. The green hair of the older boy. He eyed the young girl upon the eldest boy's shoulder. She as definitely the one he'd come to see. "Let's see if she truly is the gem that was lost." he told the younger man.

Ogi grinned at him. "You doubt me?" he asked."I should be offended, but I'm not. You always have been hard to please when it comes to information." Ogi walked over to the children. "Yona?" he spoke her name to gain her attention and instantly had all of the children's attention. "There's someone I want you to meet."

Jae-ha picked Yona off of his shoulders and sat her on to her feet. Yona walked over to Ogi. "Who Mr. Ogi?" she inquired as she took his hand, only to be led in front of an old man. "Who are you?"

Joo-nam looked down at the child before him. He saw it then, the spark within her eyes that he'd seen on the day of het birth. It wasn't as bright, but it was there; sleeping. Her eyes were the right color of violet and her hair was the correct color of red, not dyed by coloring or an auburn color. "Yona." he sat his old and wrinkled had upon her head. "You truly are her. My missing granddaughter, Princess Yona." Looking up towards the boys he wondered who they were to her. "Who are they?" he asked, though his voice made it sound like a demand.

Yona suddenly felt nervous in front of this old man, but he did say she was his granddaughter. _Does that mean we're family?_ she wondered as she looked at Jae-ha and the others. "They're my brothers!" she announced happily.

Joo-nam seemed pleasantly surprised by her answer, though he guessed he shouldn't have been. He looked at the youngest boy. _Is he the Ouryuu then?_ he wondered, a bit curious. _I thought the Ouryuu would have golden hair?_ He touched his chin. "You boys are the warriors of legend?" he asked the four.

Jae-ha scratched the back of his neck as Kija flushed. "O-Of course we are!" Kija yelled passionately. "Our ancestors fought next to King Hiryuu and protected him throughout his life!"

Shin-ah nodded in agreement. "Yona gave me my name." he told the King, not knowing who Joo-nam was.

"And you've protected Yona?" he inquired trying to understand these boys.

"Not like we have a choice there." Jae-ha stated. "The blood in our veins demands we protect her. So we will, always. No matter what." He grinned at Yona. "It helps that she's an adorable little girl too." Yona giggled at Jae-ha's answer.

Yun gave a deep sigh at this. The King's attention turned towards him. "You are the Ouryuu, correct?" Joo-nam inquired.

Yun looked around himself before pointing at himself. A surprised look appearing upon his face. "Are you nuts!?" he yelled questioning the man's sanity. "I'm not related to any of these beasts!" he yelled.

"Aw, Yun. That hurts." Jae-ha feigned hurt.

"I'm just keeping an eye on them." he huffed.

Yona giggled as she wrapped her arms around Yun's neck. "Yun's my brother too though!" she yelled. "He feeds us and makes sure we are happy." she rubbed her cheek against his, causing the younger boy to flush deeply.

"Somebody has to make sure they're taken care of!" he defended.

Joo-nam gave a nod in agreement. _Indeed. Someone did._ He looked towards Ogi. "What payment do you desire this time?"

Ogi laughed. "How about a King's feast and then the usual payment?" he answered gaining a grin from Joo-nam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Next chapter there will be some drama in it.


	18. Lost No More

**Chapter 18** : _Lost No More_

* * *

 

Lord Yu-hon stalked the halls of the palace with great intent. His father truly was insane. Placing his brother Il on the throne would be the ruination of Kouka. Not only was his brother weak of mind, but he was so easily manipulated. He was a lump of a man, if you could even call him that. True, Yu-hon did not fight for the power of the crown, nor had he shown any interest in it; but he was the eldest son of Joo-nam, it was a given that he should have been the next to become King of Kouka.

Upon his return from the festivities within Kuuto, he found that his father had taken in a group of young children and brought them directly to the castle. In all the years he'd known his father, never had Joo-nam shown any interest in helping orphans.

Coming to a stop at the back of the main palace to the large garden there, he found his eyes widening upon one look at the children, or at least the one being held by the eldest boy. A red haired child with bright violet eyes and impossibly red hair. It couldn't be anybody but _**her**_ , the missing Princess Yona.

"Papa," his son, Su-won called out to him as he stood upon the porch looking out at the others. "Grandfather found Yona. Isn't this wonderful news?"

 _Was is wonderful news?_ Yu-hon wondered with a frown. The day his ignorant brother becomes King of Kouka, his missing daughter is found. Coincidence? Then there was the arm of that white haired boy. Were those talons? _A white claw? Is can't be!_ he thought. _Those are just myths!_

"Papa?" Su-won looked up at his father and felt a shiver of fear go down his spine. Was his father not happy that Yona was found?

Yu-hon watched the young boys around the supposed Princess Yona. A blue haired boy with golden eyes. A green haired boy with matching eyes. The white haired boy with the claw. Then there was the strawberry blond boy. _Just who are these boys exactly?_ he wondered as he clenched his fist. _They are not them. I won't believe it until I see those scales myself!_ He began to stomp towards the children to examine them himself.

* * *

 

  
Jae-ha felt a sudden sense of danger coming from behind him. Turning his head he spotted a man that was heading towards them. Intense, was the word he'd describe the man as. Along with a terrible sense of danger was rolling off of the man in waves. Feeling as if they were in some sort of danger, Jae-ha prepared to have to fight this man off of his brothers when he spotted a second man approaching from behind the first.

"Y-Yona?" the stuttering voice of newly crowned King Il was heard by Yu-hon causing him to faulted in his steps.

Yona tried hiding behind Jae-ha's right leg. Grasping it with both of her tiny hands. Jae-ha touched the top of her head to reassure her that she was safe with him near her. Bowing, Jae-ha addressed the man. "Your majesty." he spoke trying to sound kind and sincere. "I apologize but my little sister doesn't know who you are. So you calling her by her name has startled her."

Though hurt that his daughter didn't know who he was, Il gave a sigh. "I see." he said as he approached them, passing his brother as he did so. Bending his knees so that he was eye level with Yona, King Il spoke. "I am your father. I'm sorry if I startled you."

 _I don't understand._ Yona thought as tears began to well up in her eyes. _I wanted to go home. This is home, but at the same time it isn't._ She held onto Jae-ha's leg. _They say Hiryuu wasnt my daddy and now this man is saying he is. What do I do?_ Hiding her face against Jae-ha, Yona tried to calm herself down. A memory, from a very long time ago appeared in her mind of a dark haired pudgy man laughing as he held her. A dark haired lady was with them. She was touching Yona's cheek and telling her how much mommy and daddy loved her. "D-Daddy?" Yona spoke confusedly.

"That's right." Il said with a nod.

Yona looked around for the dark haired lady before looking at Il. "Where's the lady with dark hair that smells nice?" she asked causing pain to appear in Il's face. "Where's mommy?"

Jae-ha seemed shocked. _She remembers?_ he wondered before he smiled down at her.

Il cleared his throat. "Your mother, my wife, died a while back." he explained sadly. The pain of her death was still too new. "It's just you and me."

Yona looked up at Jae-ha and the others. "And my brothers?" she asked with an adorable smile on her face that seemed to stun Il for a moment.

"Brothers?" Il asked as he looked at the four boys, all of whom were looking a tad embarrassed at her calling them her brothers in front of the new King. Il gave a chuckle. "Of course!" he exclaimed gaining a cough from Yu-hon who sounded like he was choking on something. "Are you okay brother?" Il inquired, seeming to be concerned.

"You can't be seriously thinking of adopting these orphans!" he exclaimed. "For all you know, they could have been apart of her kidnapping!"

Il shook his head. "They're too young to have been apart of that." he said looking at his brother oddly. "Even the eldest would have been just a child when that occurred." he looked back at the children. "Besides, Yona seems to be quite attached to them."

Yu-hon could've openly groaned when he heard a throat clear behind him. Both young men turned to see their father standing there. "Good, you've met them." Joo-nam walked over to stand next to Su-won who seemed a little blissed out at being next to his grandfather. Touching Su-won's head, Joo-nam spoke again. "Now that this family is once again complete, this old man came pass on to the next life; but before I do that," he pulled his hand away from Su-won's head. "know this. Those boys are to remain near Yona until she no longer is of need of them. They are to be given certain training. They will protect her life with theirs. She is my true heir." This caused both his son's eyes to widen. "Don't seem to shocked. Il, you are kind; but you are too stupid and will be manipulated by those stronger than yourself. Yu-hon, you are a strong will man; but your lust for war would destroy our nation. Il will rule until Yona's eighteenth year, afterwards you will step down and give Yona your crown."

"There has never been a woman ruler in our nation!" Yu-hon yelled heatedly.

"Then she will be the first!!!" Joo-nam raised his voice over his son's. "I am old, but not dead. I will ensure she is taught how to rule before I take my last breath!" he looked at Il. "And you will obey my words."

Il sighed in defeat. "I will."

"Now," Joo-nam looked at the boys. "I have had rooms prepared near Yona's for your boys." Looking down at Su-won he addressed him. "Su-won, take these boys to the chamber across from yours, will you?"

Su-won gave a happy nod. "Yes grandfather!" he said as he ran over to Shin-ah and grasped his hand, shocking the other boy. "Follow me." He told the other boys as he took off running with Shin-ah behind him.

Jae-ha went to follow only to have Yona still grasping his pant leg. Laughing nervously, he bent down to her eye level. "I need you to let me go Yona dear."

Her cheeks puffed up as a light flush crossed her nose to her cheeks. "No." she simply stated. "You stay."

Jae-ha groaned. "I need to know where I'll be sleeping-"

"With me!" Yona yelled at him. "You're staying with me Jae-ha!"

"Yes, yes." he agreed. "But boys sleep in different rooms here than back at our home in the woods."

Yona thought for a moment upon that before deciding she didn't like that idea. "No."

Jae-ha sighed. "You could always argue with Yun about this." he stated trying to get her to let him go.

"You're bigger." she stated. "So you're warmer."

 _Where'd she'd get that logic?_ he wondered.

"Yona..." Yona turned towards Il. "You'll be sleeping in your own room."

Yona had slept by herself before and then she had met the boys and shared a bed with them for the last several weeks and had enjoyed having somebody next to her. "I want my brothers though." she pouted and gave her best puppy dog face to Il, who melted instantly at that look.

"This is crazy talk." Joo-nam told the girl. "Girls don't sleep with boys unless they are married."

Yona blinked at her grandfather before smiling. "Then I'll marry them all!" she announced.

Jae-ha snorted before laughing outright at that ridiculous notion. Yona looked at him confusedly. Il chuckled as well. "That's just not done." he said as he calmed down. Taking her hand, Il led her up to the porch. "When you get older you will understand how ridiculous that notion really is."

Jae-ha was still laughing as he walked off towards the direction the others had gone. Oh, this is getting interesting. he thought with a wide grin. He couldn't wait to see where life in the palace was gonna lead him or what interesting adventures Yona was going to lead them on to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: My story is sadly coming to an end. Not to worry though. After a short break from my Time series and finishing Aquamarine Stone, I'll be coming back with another Time story and will be updating Diamond Stars on a regular basis.


	19. Home

**Chapter 19** : _Home_

* * *

 

Ora sighed as she and Zeno stepped out of the portal. The TDD shut down behind them as they did so. Looking up at the machine behind her, Ora took off the device from her wrist before walking over to the control pads and began to shut down the machine. Zeno followed her and watched as the machine began to shut down. "As long as this exists, time will be in danger." she told him. "I cannot uninvent it, but I can shut it down and place it in a high security storage system."

"Others will find it." Zeno told her as he watched her bring up file upon the screens.

"Perhaps." she agreed. "However, if I put warnings within the systems along with locking it up with several levels of encrypted passwords; it'll remain dormant." she then looked over at him. "us there's alone w says you to make sure nobody ever touches it."

Zeno chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. "I get bored easily." he stated. "So I suppose I could keep an eye on it."

"You might have to stay nearby for that." she hedged as she tried to think of a way to keep him near her. During this experience she kept having an odd feeling that he should stay with her. She'd mentally made a note to get him to do just that because nobody should be left alone like he had been.

"Hmm..." Zeno thought for a moment. "Do you have room for me here?"

Ora felt her cheeks heat up at that question. Giving a nod, she answered. "Yes, I do." Typing another line of encryption upon the files. "I've decided that I'd like to help Kouka regain its former glory after this experience."

Zeno smiled at her. "I think I know how you can do that." he told her as the final line of encryption was written and put into place. "I've got some friends that have been working on doing just that."

Ora's fingers stilled in their typing. "Who?" she inquired gaining a grin from the blond.

"My brothers!" he exclaimed. "Ha-ku Saru is a leading engineer in rebuilding infrastructure. He's also the current Ryokuryuu." His grin broadened at her look of shock. "Then there's Abi Takaro, he's a medical doctor and his the top surgeon in the country." He scratched his cheek. "He's a very busy man. He's also the current Seiryuu." He grinned. "Then there is Lee Lillian, who is the first female Hakuryuu. She's also the first of her line to be in the public eye as mayor of Chi'shin."

"I've heard of Abi. Didn't he invent a new way of doing brain surgeries that saves time and money for his patients?" she inquired.

Zeno nodded. "He does free surgeries on those who otherwise could never afford them, thus saving many lives and improving the health of his patients."

Standing up from the chaired she'd been in, Ora led Zeno out of the room. Going over to a key pad she began to press the password to get into the TDD laboratories. Bringing up a second pad that scanned both her hand print and retinal, she ensured that the laboratories would be locked up for good. "Tomoe laboratories in the upper levels of the building could assist them. We have an engineering department that is all about new ways to improve the country's infrastructure and we have a medical laboratory that most deals with the pharmaceutical aspect of things in the medical field."

Zeno grinned. "So you're not just a scientist?" he inquired.

Ora blinked in surprise at his question. "I am." she stated simply. "The company just branches out into many departments." She them looked down at her clothes. "I suppose we'll have to change now that we're back." she said before going over to the elevator. "The apartments are upstairs if you'd like to join me."

Zeno gave a nod. "I was wondering," he began causing her to look at him as she pressed the button to ascend. "would you go on a date with Zeno?"

As the elevator doors shut one could hear a loud surprised yell. "Eh!?"

* * *

 

Yona giggled as she twirled around in her new pink kimono dress that her father had given her for her sixteenth birthday. Today there was to be a giant celebration of her coming of age. She was especially excited about today because not only was it her birthday, but her brothers would be complete as Zeno was joining in the celebration. She knew Kija was waiting patiently outside her room as Shin-ah was walking the catwalks around the palace in his daily patrol with the guards. Jae-ha was out in the back gardens mingling with the guests and keeping an eye on things from his vantage point.

"Princess." a deep voice called out to Yona causing her to turn towards the owner of the voice, her cheeks heating up as she spotted the dark haired General of the wind; Son Hak.

"Hak." she greeted him. Days after her confrontation with Kan Tae-jun when she was thirteen, Son Hak had become another one of her guardians. She had begun to develop a bit of a crush upon him around that time, of which he was totally oblivious about.

"Yona!" Her cousin's voice surprised her as he came out from behind Hak with a wide grin.

"Su-won!" she greeted him happily as he gave her a hug, causing her cheeks to turn red as he pulled her close to him.

Hak of course would assume her cheeks were red because he believed she had a crush upon her cousin, something that had developed when she was nine, but no longer had. _Let him assume._ Jae-ha had told her. _A tease always drives a man crazy. If he thinks you like someone else, he'll let his guard down, so when you finally do tell him, he'll be floored._

She wanted to giggle at the look of annoyance upon Hak's face but she chose ignored it. "I hope your journey was pleasant." she told him as the three of them walked out of her chambers. Kija looked miffed at Hak for going inside, but he seemed to be willing to hold his tongue.

"It was quite pleasant." he told her. "Though my father did complain a few times once we entered Kuuto."

Did Aunt Yong-hi come this time?" she inquired as the walked towards the back gardens.

Shaking his head, Su-won answered her. "Unfortunately mother was feeling ill today and requests to be forgiven in not coming." he held her hand as he helped her down some steps that led into the garden.

Yona gave a slight pout. "That's too bad." she said with sadness. "I wish she could have come. She's my only female relative, yet I barely get to see her."

Su-won chuckled. "Mother will be happy to hear that you missed her." he commented as they continued.

Hak's eyes kept darting around as he listened to the two cousin's talking. He could see Lord Yu-hon and General Soo-jin talking off in the corner of the gardens by themselves. Frowning, he really did not like the way those two spoke with each other. It was something that just did not sit well to him. Looking off towards the back wall he saw Jae-ha seemingly to be flirting with a couple of the daughters of the noble lords, but the way the Ryokuryuu looked up to him, Hak knew the Der man was more aware of everything around him than most. Turning his attention fully towards the two cousins in front of him, he found himself wanting to tease Yona. A grin crossing his features as he heard her talking about her red hair.

"Your hair is quite beautiful Princess." he told her. "There's no other with hair quite like it." He suddenly felt somebody poke him in the side and looked down.

"No teasing Yona today Rajiu." the strawberry blond boy told him.

Looking to her side Yona grinned at her adopted younger brother. "Yun! You wore it!" she squealed as she spotted him in the silk blue and red kimono with a matching decorative haori over his shoulders. The younger boy flushed at the praise.

"Of course I did." he grumbled as he suddenly spotted two people walk into the garden. "I can't believe it," he mumbled causing the other three to look towards the entrance. "The idiot priest actually came with the Ouryuu."

"They look like brothers." Yona commented as she left her cousin and Hak behind as she and Yun went to greet the two. Ik-su wore the browns of a priest, gold and red with the four dragons upon his back on the haori her wore.

"Happy birthday Princess." he greeted as he bowed towards her.

"Thank-you for coming Ik-su." she gave both him and Zeno a hug. "Thank-you for making sure he didn't get hurt on the way here."

Zeno laughed. "Zeno used the horse that Missy had Mister bring to us." he told her. "Zeno hasn't ridden a horse in a very long time!"

"Did he fall?" Yona asked Ik-su who covered his mouth with the end of his haori sleeve, a grin plastered on his face.

"A few times." he admitted.

Zeno grinned at them. "But then Zeno changed into the garments Missy sent for him so that he wouldn't be dirty." he assured her as he spun in the golden colored clothes, a new green headband held his wild golden hair back as the medallion dangled from the corner.

"It would seem we have been noticed." Ik-su noted as he looked around at the nobles who were speaking in hushed tones.

"Let them talk." Yona dismissed them as she wrapped an around Ik-su's and led him into the garden to talk to him and Zeno.

"Humph." Kan Soo-jin snorted, "Now she brings in one of the surviving priests you drove out." he spoke turning towards Lord Yu-hon.

"It won't last." he assured the fire General. "The Sky army is on my side. After tonight neither the priest, dragons or the red haired Princess will exist."

"Say the word and the Fire army will be here within an hour." The fire General stated with a feral grin.

"Send word that they are to be here by nightfall." he told the man. "I'll take handle of Il myself."

"What about your son?" Kan Soo-jin eyed the blond as he laughed with Son Hak.

"My son will be given a heavy drink laced with a sleeping drug." Yu-hon told the older man. "He will awaken to find everything changed."

"Good to know." the fire General grinned inwardly as he had plans to ensure the young man's death tonight as he crossed Yu-hon and took the crown for himself this night.

Above the Kami watched as the red dragon celebrated her sixteenth year of life. Having been through so much already, the Kami knew that this night would either destroy her spirit or renew and strengthen it. Only time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hope everybody has had a wonderful Easter weekend!


	20. Epilogue

**Chapter 20** : _Epilogue_

* * *

 

Ora snuggled into the bed with the comforter pulled over her head. Next to her, she could feel Zeno was still awake in writing another one of his stories. He had admitted to her, several months ago, that he had written the original myth story; in which there were only ten copies left. This story was about Princess Yona and her journey in becoming the first Empress of Kouka with her husband, the Rajiu, as her number one protector and defender.

With the light still on, she decided to see where in the story he was at. Sitting up, Ora looked onto the computer screen; grinning when he moved it so she could see it better. "This was the night that would forever change Yona's life, the night her Uncle killed her father." she looked over at Zeno. "You're still on the second chapter?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Zeno blushed at this but nodded. "I'm having trouble remembering everything." he told her. "That night was quite chaotic." He looked back at the screen. "Perhaps I should stop for the night?" He grinned as she rolled her eyes at him.

"No." she told him. "You promised me you'd have that written before the twins got here." She rubbed the bump on her belly. "Your children will want the story finished before they're born."

"Hmm..." Zeno hummed before he sighed. "I'm still curious as to why you want children now?"

"I don't know why you don't." she countered. They'd been married for five years. Tomoe company was bigger than ever, since the dragons now were apart of the company's logo and had taken over a couple departments to ensure nothing bad would happen like another TDD being made. About seven months ago they'd begin trying to get pregnant, but as it turned out, having a forever young body frozen in time meant Zeno couldn't produce children. So they went with IVF and got pregnant with twins. She was excited, Zeno nervous.

"It's not that I don't." he stated as he leaned back against the headboard. "I just don't know if I'll make a good father."

Ora hugged his arm before kissing his cheek. "You'll make a wonderful father." she reassured him. "Besides, if you make a mistake, I'll tell the others and they'll kick you into shape."

Zeno laughed nervously. "Ha-ku probably would, though Lillian and Abi would probably just yell at me."

Picking up the laptop, Ora put her glasses back on before she got ready to write. "Okay, tell me again what happened after her sixteenth birthday celebration." Zeno gave a deep sigh before he began to recite the story all over again.

* * *

 

Hak looked up as Jae-ha, Shin-ah, Kija and Zeno all sat down near from him on the porch as Hak sat on the steps watching the guards walk around a bit tipsy. He had met Zeno a few times over the years and found that even though the younger looking male never seemed to age, and that he never seemed to loose his happy-go-lucky attitude, that his eyes showed his true maturity. He suddenly saw someone approach him in his peripheral vision and turned to see young Min-soo walking up to him with a bottle in hand as Su-won came up to sit next to him.

"Lord Hak, this is for you and your companions." the servant boy said as he handed the bottle and four round cups to him.

"Thanks Min-soo." Hak liked the young man. Looking to Su-won, who was leaning his back against his, Hak gave him a frown. Su-won's cheeks were flushed.

"I think somebody has had enough to drink tonight." Jae-ha joked as he took the cups from Hak along with the sake.

"I-I'm not drunk." Su-won assured them with a grin.

"How many drinks have you had?" Hak asked his friend, knowing that the young lord could take up to three before getting tipsy.

"One." he mumbled. "I feel like I-I have drunk four th-though." he stuttered. "Head hurts too." He rubbed his temples.

Zeno grasped the cup that Jae-ha held out towards him. "Maybe it's a stronger liquor than normal." he stated as he drank the cup in one gulp. "Zeno doesn't get drunk-" he paused before knocking Shin-ah's cup from his hand. "Don't drink!" he yelled. "It tastes weird."

Jae-ha sniffed the bottle, but could detect anything. Frowning he handed it to Hak to sniff. The Wind General frowned before dumping the liquid on the ground. "Protect Su-won." he told them before standing to go find the Princess. Something was going on, especially if someone was trying to knock him out.

* * *

 

Yona walked down the halls of the palace, noticing that many of the guards looked to asleep or passed out from drinking too much. Coming to her father's chambers, Yona pushed the double doors open. "Father, I wish to-" she stopped in mid-speech when she saw the silhouette's of her father and Uncle Yu-hon. Her uncle's sword was pulled from her father's body, which fell to the floor dead. "FATHER!" she cried out as she ran to his fallen form. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "Father. Father needs help."

"No one can help him now." Yu-hon spoke, his voice sounding dark and cold.

Yona looked up, tears cascading down her cheeks. "Why!?" she cried out to him. "Father loved you!"

"Why you ask?" he inquired from her. "Because he was destroying our country! He was making us weak in front of our enemies!" he yelled at her causing her eyes to widen. "He believed you were his daughter. There's no way to say that you are that child that was stolen away. You brought those things here!" he growled the last part. "I will not have my son believing in priests and Red Dragons turned man!" He raised his sword to strike her. "I will not have you taint this country."

Suddenly the sword clanged as it came in contact with the metal handle of the hsu quandao of General Son Hak. "Traitor." Hak said as he pushed the older man's sword away, sound quickly to get the former Sky General away from the Princess. "Get away from her."

"Mongrel." Yu-hon hissed as he looked at the wild eyes of Son Hak. "That's all you are or ever will be. What makes you think you can defeat me?"

"Because he has us with him." Came Jae-ha's voice as he jumped from the high ceiling beam and kicked Yu-hon in the stomach sending the former General out of the building through a wall. Outside Kija and Shin-ah both stood waiting. Kija's arm expanding as he prepared for a fight. Behind them, Yu-hon saw his men unconscious.

"Those men are nothing compared to the power of the dragons." Kija told him, a dark look appearing in the eyes of the usually kindhearted man.

Shin-ah felt his eyes throb slightly as the power of the Seiryuu begged to be used in order to kill everyone who dared harm Yona. "Your fate will be like there's." he assured the man.

Yu-hon stood before grasping a fallen soldiers sword when suddenly Zeno jumped from the tree behind him and landed upon Lord Yu-hon's shoulders. The former general fell to the ground at being off balanced when the blind jumped on him. "Zeno would advise you not to stand." he told the older man. "Unless you wish to die." The threat was very real.

Yu-hon couldn't believed he'd been outsmarted or outmatched by these men. He heard something slam near his head and gasped when he saw the blade of Hak's weapon land inches from his face. "Wait!" All five men paused at the voice of the mistress. "Don't kill him." Yona stepped out of her fathers chambers and stood on the porch looking down upon the scene before her. She had blood dripping down her face and neck from having had her face against her father's body. "He will stand trial. He will be judged by the five general's council." She glared at him. She looked beyond her friends and saw her cousin being held up by Ik-su and Yun. "You are changed with trying to start a coup de'tat and the murder of your brother, my father and King. I won't let you hide from this by having my guardians kill you. You will stand before Kouka and you will be punished for your crimes!"

For a moment there was silence. Then a guard who had been at the city wall came to a stop. "The fire army is at the gates!" Yona turned her head towards the guard. "Where is the King?"

Yona felt her heart squeeze tightly. "He has been murdered by Lord Yu-hon." she stated, her voice lowering an octave as she tried to hide her pain.

The guard fell to his knee. "Highness, give me your orders."

Yona felt her eyes widen. She had not thought this would happen. Looking at Hak, she saw him finish in tying her Uncle up. "General Hak," she began causing him to look towards her. "help me protect Kuuto and Kouka. Be my defender."

Hak grinned, his eyes glistening as lighting struck across the sky. "As you wish, Princess." He turned towards the others and quickly took charge of the situation and began ordering everyone around.

"You'll all die." Yu-hon told Yona as she stepped down from the porch. "Kan Soo-jin is as merciless as I am."

Yona looked down at him. "We may be few in number, but with our strength we will overcome many." she assured him. "I will not let you or any other destroy my country." With those words Yona walked off to join the others in protecting her country from those who would cause division and chaos.

* * *

 

Ora looked towards her husband as he continued to describe the battle that ensued. That the fighting lasted for two years. He described how Princess Yona brought together a nation torn apart. Stopped drugs from being brought into the water tribe. Stopped the human trafficking in the earth tribe town of Awa Port and how she used the pirates and the town citizens in destroying the tyrant Lord Kum-ji.

Zeno leaned back once again against the headboard, just as the sun began rising over the city of Kuuto. "Missy ended up uniting the country against the fire tribe and it's ally the Kai Empire. It was a bloody two years, but once it was said and done with, Kouka was stronger then ever." He looked towards his wife and smiled. "Missy married Son Hak after her Uncle's was convicted of his crimes. Her cousin married a young woman name Aio, who was the cousin of Lady Lili, who married the new wind general, Tae-woo."

"New wind General?"she inquired.

Zeno nodded. "Son Hak stepped down and became Missy's defender, protector and the new Emperor, though it was Missy who ruled and not him." he sighed as he continued to think about what happened to his brothers and their families afterwards. "Zeno has seen a lot." he suddenly stated as Ora saved the story. He pulled her close to him. "Zeno looks forward to seeing even more." As he said this he placed his hand over his future children as he and Ora fell asleep, both looking forward to their future together with their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks to everybody who commented, left kudo's or bookmarked this story. It meant a lot to me. ^_^


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